Kathy Yaeji Lee (born August 6, 1993 in New York City, U.S.), also known as… Read Full Bio ↴Kathy Yaeji Lee (born August 6, 1993 in New York City, U.S.), also known as Yaeji, is a Korean-American singer/producer of electronic deep house music, with whispered vocals in Korean and English.

Yaeji was born in Flushing, Queens as a single child in a Korean family. Growing up, she moved from New York to Atlanta when she was 5, and then to South Korea in the third grade. Yaeji grew up in Seoul, South Korea, and eventually moved back to the United States to study conceptual art, East Asian studies and graphic design at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Yaeji embraced DJing as a hobby while attending Carnegie Mellon, after learning how to use Traktor and beginning to DJ at house parties. She DJed for two years before learning Ableton, making her own music and debuting on Carnegie Mellon's college radio station. Yaeji graduated from Carnegie Mellon in 2015.

In 2016 she released her first single New York 93. In 2017, she released her first self-titled EP, yaeji and later the same year, she released her second EP, EP2.

Ready or Not
Yaeji Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

가만히 앉아 있어 답답하고
It’s frustrated sitting in one place
일어나 나가봐도 모르겠고
But going outside still leaves me confused
Laying in one place
I feel suffocated
돌을 저멀리 던져 볼까
should i try throwing this stone far away

숨을 겨를도 주지않고
without giving any chance to hide
Here I come are you ready or not
돌을 저 멀리 던져 볼까
should i throw this stone far away
봐도 모르겠어
i’m not sure what i’m looking at
What’s right in front of me
You Gotta Go (Tho)
망설여 (도 도 도 도 도) Even if you hesitate (Tho)
There’s no time to
고민해도 Contemplate
Ready or not it’s happening
Ready or not here I come can you handle it
You Gotta Go (Tho)
망설여 (도 도 도 도 도) Even if you hesitate (Tho)
There’s no time to
고민해도 Contemplate
Ready or not it’s happening
Ready or not here I come can you handle it
돌을 저멀리 던져 볼까
should i try throwing this stone far away
숨을 겨를도 주지않고
without giving any chance to hide
Here I come are you ready or not
돌을 저 멀리 던져 볼까
should i throw this stone far away
봐도 모르겠어
i’m not sure what i’m looking at
What’s right in front of me
돌을 저멀리 던져 볼까
should i try throwing this stone far away
숨을 겨를도 주지않고
without giving any chance to hide
Here I come are you ready or not
돌을 저 멀리 던져 볼까
should i throw this stone far away
가만히 앉아 있어 답답하고
It’s frustrated sitting in one place
일어나 나가봐도 모르겠고
But going outside still leaves me confused

Laying in one place
I feel suffocated

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Yaeji feat. K Wata's song "Ready or Not" convey a sense of frustration and restlessness. The opening lines, "It's frustrated sitting in one place, but going outside still leaves me confused," express a feeling of dissatisfaction with the current situation. The singer is torn between the desire to break free from their stagnant position and the uncertainty that comes with venturing into the unknown.

The repetition of the phrase "should I try throwing this stone far away" suggests a desire to take action and make a change, to release pent-up emotions and frustrations. The line "without giving any chance to hide, here I come are you ready or not" represents a bold declaration of readiness to confront whatever lies ahead. It reflects a determination to face challenges head-on, without hesitation or second-guessing.

The repeated refrain of "You Gotta Go (Tho), 망설여 (도 도 도 도 도)" emphasizes the importance of overcoming hesitation and contemplating too much. It suggests that there is no time to waste, urging the listener to be prepared for what is about to happen. The lyrics convey a sense of urgency and encourage embracing new experiences and opportunities, even if they may be intimidating or uncertain.

Line by Line Meaning

가만히 앉아 있어 답답하고
It's frustrating to sit still and feel suffocated

일어나 나가봐도 모르겠고
Even if I try to get up and go outside, I still feel confused

돌을 저멀리 던져 볼까
Should I throw a stone far away?

숨을 겨를도 주지않고
Without giving any chance to hide

Here I come are you ready or not
Here I come, are you prepared or not?

봐도 모르겠어
I can't understand what I'm looking at

What’s right in front of me
I can't comprehend what is right in front of me

You Gotta Go (Tho)
You have to go (though)

망설여 (도 도 도 도 도)
Even if you hesitate (though)

There's no time to
There isn't any time to

고민해도 Contemplate
Even if you contemplate