“Honestly” by RIIZE is a relatable R&B pop breakup anthem about choosing self-love over a draining relationship. The song’s core meaning revolves around finding closure, leaving behind an unhealthy dynamic, and redirecting the love you once gave to someone else toward yourself.

Song Credits

  • Artist: RIIZE
  • Album: RIIZING
  • Released: June 17, 2024
  • Length: 3:15
  • Label: SM Entertainment
  • Lyricist: Park Ji-hyun (ARTiffect)
  • Composers: Celine Svanbäck Mortensen, Rasmus Gregersen, Daecolm Diego Holland, and Mich Hansen

RIIZE “Honestly” Live Clip

RIIZE “Honestly” Lyrics

Hangul

아무리 애써 봤자 뛰지 않는 heart
아무리 애써봐도 그대로인 걸
오히려 잘 된 것만 같아
I’m giving my love to myself
난 변할 테니까
최선을 다했으니 후회 없어 난
내 우선순위 속 넌 없어 더 이상
이젠 분명해
You gave me the alarm
내 전부였던 네게 말할게 goodbye

You were my angel
영원하자 했던 그때의 날 잊어
Such a cruel way to end us
이젠 당겨버린 이별이란 trigger

Honestly, all I need is me
난 너 없이 더 자유로워 free
Honestly, I know you didn’t see
Now, I can be what I just wanna be
I just wanna be, be

I know you tryna reach me through my friends
You know, 두 번은 속지 않아
This is the end, oh
실수라는 변명 따윈 no more
And I don’t know why you gotta deny your feelings (Feelings)
One of these days, I know you gonna get that healing (Healing)
더는 그만 괴롭혀
Overthinking and thinking (Thinking)
Why you slipping and slipping skip it? (Slipping, skip it)
아름답던 우리의 추억만 keep it (No, no, no)

You were my angel
너로 가득했던 나를 모두 지워 (모두 지워)
Such a cruel way to end us (End us)
돌이킬 수 없어 이별이란 trigger (Trigger)

Honestly, all I need is me
난 너 없이 더 자유로워 free (Ooh)
Honestly, I know you didn’t see (Know you didn’t)
Now I can be what I just wanna be
I wanna be
I wanna be
I wanna be, whatever’s got to be, oh

All I need is me, yeah
I’ll be good for me, yeah (Ooh)
깨달았어 네 덕분에 이제야
You were the king of my city
I’ve been burning my town (Ooh)
너만을 비추던 내 두 눈이
이젠 더 먼 곳을 바라보지
더 이상 내 세상에 너는 없다는 걸
‘Cause girl, I gotta tell you honestly

Honestly, all I need is me
난 너 없이 더 자유로워 free (자유로워 free)
Honestly, I know you didn’t see (No)
Now, I can be what I just wanna be (I just wanna be)
I just wanna be
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, hey, yeah, woah
I just wanna be, come to me, woah

Romanized

Amuri aesseo bwatja ttwiji anneun heart
Amuri aesseobwado geudaeroin geol
Ohiryeo jal doen geonman gata
I’m giving my love to myself
Nan byeonhal tenikka
Choeseoneul dahaesseuni huhoe eopseo nan
Nae useonsunwi sok neon eopseo deo isang
Ijen bunmyeonghae
You gave me the alarm
Nae jeonbuyeotdeon nege malhalge goodbye

You were my angel
Yeongwonhaja haetdeon geuttaeui nal ijeo
Such a cruel way to end us
Ijen danggyeobeorin ibyeoriran trigger

Honestly, all I need is me
Nan neo eopsi deo jayurowo free
Honestly, I know you didn’t see
Now, I can be what I just wanna be
I just wanna be, be

I know you tryna reach me through my friends
You know, du beoneun sokji ana
This is the end, oh
Silsuraneun byeonmyeong ttawin no more
And I don’t know why you gotta deny your feelings (Feelings)
One of these days, I know you gonna get that healing (Healing)
Deoneun geuman goeropyeo
Overthinking and thinking (Thinking)
Why you slipping and slipping skip it? (Slipping, skip it)
Areumdapdeon uriui chueongman keep it (No, no, no)

You were my angel
Neoro gadeukaetdeon nareul modu jiwo (modu jiwo)
Such a cruel way to end us (End us)
Dorikil su eopseo ibyeoriran trigger (Trigger)

Honestly, all I need is me
Nan neo eopsi deo jayurowo free (Ooh)
Honestly, I know you didn’t see (Know you didn’t)
Now I can be what I just wanna be
I wanna be
I wanna be
I wanna be, whatever’s got to be, oh

All I need is me, yeah
I’ll be good for me, yeah (Ooh)
Kkaedarasseo ne deokbune ijeya
You were the king of my city
I’ve been burning my town (Ooh)
Neomaneul bichudeon nae du nuni
Ijen deo meon goseul baraboji
Deo isang nae sesange neoneun eopdaneun geol
‘Cause girl, I gotta tell you honestly

Honestly, all I need is me
Nan neo eopsi deo jayurowo free (jayurowo free)
Honestly, I know you didn’t see (No)
Now, I can be what I just wanna be (I just wanna be)
I just wanna be
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, hey, yeah, woah
I just wanna be, come to me, woah

Translation

No matter how hard I try, my heart won’t beat
No matter how hard I try, it stays exactly the same
Honestly, it feels like it’s for the best
I’m giving my love to myself
Because I am going to change
I gave it my absolute all, so I have zero regrets
You are no longer in my priorities anymore
It’s perfectly clear now
You gave me the alarm
To you, who used to be my absolute everything, I’ll say goodbye

You were my angel
Forget the version of me from back then who promised we’d last forever
Such a cruel way to end us
Now the trigger called farewell has already been pulled

Honestly, all I need is me
I am so much more at peace without you, free
Honestly, I know you didn’t see
Now, I can be what I just wanna be
I just wanna be, be

I know you tryna reach me through my friends
You know, I won’t be fooled a second time
This is the end, oh
Excuses like calling it a mistake—no more
And I don’t know why you gotta deny your feelings (Feelings)
One of these days, I know you gonna get that healing (Healing)
Stop tormenting yourself any further
Overthinking and thinking (Thinking)
Why you slipping and slipping skip it? (Slipping, skip it)
Let’s just keep it to our once-beautiful memories (No, no, no)

You were my angel
Erase every single part of me that used to be overflowing with you (erase it all)
Such a cruel way to end us (End us)
There is no turning back, this farewell is a trigger (Trigger)

Honestly, all I need is me
I am so much more at peace without you, free (free)
Honestly, I know you didn’t see (Know you didn’t)
Now I can be what I just wanna be
I wanna be
I wanna be
I wanna be, whatever’s got to be, oh

All I need is me, yeah
I’ll be good for me, yeah (Ooh)
I finally realized it now, entirely thanks to you
You were the king of my city
I’ve been burning my town (Ooh)
My two eyes, which used to shine only on you,
Are now looking toward a much more distant place
Knowing that you no longer exist in my world
‘Cause girl, I gotta tell you honestly

Honestly, all I need is me
I am so much more at peace without you, free (free)
Honestly, I know you didn’t see (No)
Now, I can be what I just wanna be (I just wanna be)
I just wanna be
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, hey, yeah, woah
I just wanna be, come to me, woah

RIIZE “Honestly” Meaning

“Honestly” by RIIZE is a heartfelt R&B pop song about moving on from a relationship that no longer brings happiness and choosing self-love instead. The lyrics capture the emotional process of accepting an ending, healing from disappointment, and rediscovering your own worth.

A central theme of the song is letting go. The narrator realizes that holding onto a painful relationship only prolongs the hurt, and that true closure comes from accepting that some connections are not meant to last forever. Rather than dwelling on regrets, they decide to move forward.

RIIZE “Odyssey” Lyrics thumbnail

The song’s most powerful message is self-love. Through the repeated idea of “giving my love to myself,” RIIZE emphasizes the importance of prioritizing personal well-being after a breakup. Instead of continuing to invest energy in someone who no longer values the relationship, the narrator redirects that care and affection inward.

Ultimately, “Honestly” is an empowering anthem about growth and emotional freedom. Its smooth R&B sound complements the lyrics’ journey from heartbreak to healing, reminding listeners that sometimes the healthiest choice is to let go and choose yourself.