Stray Kids – CREED. Lyrics Meaning: A Declaration of Authenticity in a World of Shortcuts

Ever made a promise to yourself? A big one. Like, “This is the year I’m going to chase my dream,” or even a smaller, “I’m going to be more honest with myself.” It feels amazing in the moment, right? Full of energy and potential. But then, life happens. Distractions pop up, challenges get in the way, and sometimes, that fiery determination just… fizzles out.

But then you see people who live by their word. Every single day. They don’t just talk the talk; they walk it, run it, and practically build a highway with it. That fierce, unwavering commitment is exactly what Stray Kids bottled up and unleashed in their track “CREED.” This song isn’t just music; it’s a mission statement, and we’re about to dive into the powerful philosophy they’re serving up.

More Than Words: The Unshakable Promise in Stray Kids’ ‘CREED’

Right from the get-go, the song throws down its central theme. There’s no gentle introduction. It’s a straight-up declaration of intent. They hit us with:

I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)

This isn’t just a cool opening; it’s the foundation of their entire message. It’s about integrity. The idea that their words aren’t empty air—they’re actions waiting to happen. “Bite the way I bark” is such a powerful image, isn’t it? It means their actions are just as fierce and real as their promises. They back up everything they say with tangible results, starting from the “dirt” and climbing their way up.

No Time to Waste, Only Diamonds to Find

Then, the beat drops, and the energy skyrockets. Han grabs the mic and lays down the law on how they operate. It’s a masterclass in hustle and intuition.

dan ilchoui nangbido eopji time is diamonds
Not even a second is wasted, time is diamonds
This slaps, urineun heureumeul jikgamhae tago ollagaji, plane
This slaps, we intuitively ride the flow and go up, plane

“Time is diamonds”—what a fantastic way to put it. For them, every moment is precious and has immense value. They’re not just waiting for opportunities; they’re sensing the “flow” and creating their own momentum. They proved their worth not with slick, polished sounds at first, but with their raw, “rough music” (tubakhan eumageuro). It’s a nod to their journey, showing they earned their spot with pure, unfiltered talent and hard work, not by fitting into a pre-made mold.

Lyrics: "CREED" by Stray Kids

Stray Kids – CREED [ENGLISH Translation]

Skrr

I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
Doing what I say, doing what I say

It’s so easy to make us better, we got the right timing
Not wasting a single second, time is diamonds
This slaps, we just feel the flow and ride it up, like a plane
No arguments, (doot-doot-doot) we proved it with our raw music, I said
One day, we’ll become the ones that they wanna be like
Bring it back, everyone’s gonna pass out, charging up their energy like a phone, yeah
Let’s climb again, bring a spaceship ’cause a plane just won’t cut it anymore
Go ahead and pretend, even if you act like you’re okay, everyone’s sweating behind the scenes

Oh, lord, we’re following our creed to make us lit, huh
I ain’t trippin’, for nasty obstacles we parkour, slide, jump
Clear your mind, riding this momentum, we levitate
We never take the easy route, ’cause we make our own road, huh
We’re always the same, no change, we’re on the same page, just as I thought, huh
The easy and fast way is just a sweet-smelling flower planted by the devil
We just do what we’ve always done, go straight ahead following what we believe
We just (Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo) go full throttle, speed up

I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
My creed will never fall apart (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
Doing what I say, doing what I say

All the pretending is exposed as a lie, this is the final cut, shown as it is
You’re just digging your own grave and trap, we choose authenticity over cheap thrills
Showing you exactly what we wrote, showing you exactly what we said
Those pockets full of bluffs and empty swagger? They were torn a long, long time ago
To become one of the cool ones, I just jumped in like crazy, without a second thought
No matter how high the walls of reality were, my ambition never once bowed down
Our pen will never run dry, ready to write down countless more achievements
No need to rush, it’s my pace, but I’m still pushing myself even harder today

I keep my creed in my heart
‘Cause holding on to it won’t work at all, yeah
I’ll make sure I get what I want
My creed, it keeps me breathing, uh, uh, yeah

I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
My creed will never fall apart (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
Doing what I say, doing what I say

Stray Kids – CREED [ROMAJI Lyric]

Skrr

I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
Doing what I say, doing what I say

It’s so easy to make us better, we got the right timing
dan ilchoui nangbido eopji time is diamonds
This slaps, urineun heureumeul jikgamhae tago ollagaji, plane
No arguments, (ttuttuttu) tubakan eumageuro haejwotji proved it, I said
One day, we’ll become the ones that they wanna be like
Bring it back, moduga honjeolhae chaji giga hyudaeponcheoreom, yeah
hanbeon deo hae deungbaneul gajyeowa ujuseon bihaenggi an maja ijen
cheogina hae, gwaenchaneun deut haebwatja modu dwieseon ttamina ppae

Oh, lord, we’re following our creed to make us lit, huh
I ain’t trippin’, mopsseul jang-aemuren parkour, slide, jump
Clear your mind, i gisereul mora levitate
jeoldae gaji ana ppareun gil, ’cause we make our own road, huh
We’re always the same, no change, gateun saenggagi yeoksi, huh
swipgo ppareun geon angmaga mandeun hyanggiroun kkot
hadeon daero haji minneun geudaero jikjin
We just (Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo) choego songnyeok speed up

I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
My creed will never fall apart (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
Doing what I say, doing what I say

geojisi deureona modeun cheok, inneun geudaero boyeojineun keot
seuseuro pabeoril mudeomgwa deot, ppeonhan jaemiwa jageukbodan jinjeongseong
jeogeun daero boyeojuneun geot, naebaeteun daero boyeojuneun geot
heopung tteoldeut heose gadeuk deureun hojumeonineun jjitgin ji oraejeon
meotjin nomi doegi wihae michin deusi gariji anko ttwieodeureosseo
hyeonsirui byeogi nopda handeul nae pobuneun mureup hanbeon an kkureosseo
sueopsi sseo naeryeogal eopjeokdeure ingkeu memareul il eomneun penchok
jogeupal piryo eomneun my pace, oneuldo nareul deo jaechok

I keep my creed in my heart
‘Cause holding on to it won’t work at all, yeah
I’ll make sure I get what I want
My creed, it keeps me breathing, uh, uh, yeah

I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
My creed will never fall apart (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
Doing what I say, doing what I say

Stray Kids – CREED [ORIGINAL Lyric]

Stray Kids – CREED [ROMAJI Lyric]

Skrr

I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
Doing what I say, doing what I say

It’s so easy to make us better, we got the right timing
Dan ilchoui nangbido eopji time is diamonds
This slaps, urineun heureumeul jikgamhae tago ollagaji, plane
No arguments, (ttuttuttu) tubakan eumageuro haejwotji proved it, I said
One day, we’ll become the ones that they wanna be like
Bring it back, moduga honjeolhae chaji giga hyudaeponcheoreom, yeah
Hanbeon deo hae deungbaneul gajyeowa ujuseon bihaenggi an maja ijen
Cheogina hae, gwaenchaneun deut haebwatja modu dwieseon ttamina ppae

Oh, lord, we’re following our creed to make us lit, huh
I ain’t trippin’, mopsseul jangaemuren parkour, slide, jump
Clear your mind, i gisereul mora levitate
Jeoldae gaji ana ppareun gil, ’cause we make our own road, huh
We’re always the same, no change, gateun saenggagi yeoksi, huh
Swipgo ppareun geon angmaga mandeun hyanggiroun kkot
Hadeon daero haji minneun geudaero jikjin
We just (Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo) choego songnyeok speed up

I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
My creed will never fall apart (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
Doing what I say, doing what I say

Geojisi deureona modeun cheok, inneun geudaero boyeojineun keot
Seuseuro pabeoril mudeomgwa deot, ppeonhan jaemiwa jageukbodan jinjeongseong
Jeogeun daero boyeojuneun geot, naebaeteun daero boyeojuneun geot
Heopung tteoldeut heose gadeuk deureun hojumeonineun jjitgin ji oraejeon
Meotjin nomi doegi wihae michin deusi gariji anko ttwieodeureosseo
Hyeonsirui byeogi nopda handeul nae pobuneun mureup hanbeon an kkuleosseo
Sueopsi sseo naeryeogal eopjeokdeure ingkeu memareul il eomneun penchok
Jogeupal pillyo eomneun my pace, oneuldo nareul deo jaechok

I keep my creed in my heart
‘Cause holding on to it won’t work at all, yeah
I’ll make sure I get what I want
My creed, it keeps me breathing, uh, uh, yeah

I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
My creed will never fall apart (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
Doing what I say, doing what I say

Stray Kids – CREED [KOREAN Lyric]

Skrr

I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
Doing what I say, doing what I say

It’s so easy to make us better, we got the right timing
단 일초의 낭비도 없지 time is diamonds
This slaps, 우리는 흐름을 직감해 타고 올라가지, plane
No arguments, (뚜뚜뚜) 투박한 음악으로 해줬지 proved it, I said
One day, we’ll become the ones that they wanna be like
Bring it back, 모두가 혼절해 차지 기가 휴대폰처럼, yeah
한번 더 해 등반을 가져와 우주선 비행기 안 맞아 이젠
척이나 해, 괜찮은 듯 해봤자 모두 뒤에선 땀이나 빼

Oh, lord, we’re following our creed to make us lit, huh
I ain’t trippin’, 몹쓸 장애물엔 parkour, slide, jump
Clear your mind, 이 기세를 몰아 levitate
절대 가지 않아 빠른 길, ’cause we make our own road, huh
We’re always the same, no change, 같은 생각이 역시, huh
쉽고 빠른 건 악마가 만든 향기로운 꽃
하던 대로 하지 믿는 그대로 직진
We just (Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo) 최고 속력 speed up

I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
My creed will never fall apart (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
Doing what I say, doing what I say

거짓이 드러나 모든 척, 있는 그대로 보여지는 컷
스스로 파버릴 무덤과 덫, 뻔한 재미와 자극보단 진정성
적은 대로 보여주는 것, 내뱉은 대로 보여주는 것
허풍 떨듯 허세 가득 들은 호주머니는 찢긴 지 오래전
멋진 놈이 되기 위해 미친 듯이 가리지 않고 뛰어들었어
현실의 벽이 높다 한들 내 포부는 무릎 한번 안 꿇었어
수없이 써 내려갈 업적들에 잉크 메마를 일 없는 펜촉
조급할 필요 없는 my pace, 오늘도 나를 더 재촉

I keep my creed in my heart
‘Cause holding on to it won’t work at all, yeah
I’ll make sure I get what I want
My creed, it keeps me breathing, uh, uh, yeah

I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
My creed will never fall apart (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
Doing what I say, doing what I say

Stray Kids – CREED [ENGLISH Lyric Translation]

Skrr

I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
Doing what I say, doing what I say

It’s so easy to make us better, we got the right timing
Not a single second is wasted, time is diamonds
This slaps, we sense the flow instinctively and ride it up, like a plane
No arguments (Du-du-du), we proved it with rough music, I said
One day, we’ll become the ones that they wanna be like
Bring it back, everyone faints, like a phone running out of battery, yeah
Do it again, climb higher, spaceships and planes can’t keep up now
Act tough, pretend you’re fine, but behind the scenes you’re sweating hard

Oh, lord, we’re following our creed to make us lit, huh
I ain’t trippin’, I just parkour, slide, jump through nasty obstacles
Clear your mind, ride this momentum and levitate
We never take shortcuts, ’cause we make our own road, huh
We’re always the same, no change, the same mindset, as expected, huh
Easy and quick things are like a fragrant flower made by the devil
Keep doing as we always do, go straight with what we believe in
We just (Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo) speed up at maximum velocity

I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
My creed will never fall apart (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
Doing what I say, doing what I say

Lies and all the pretending get exposed, the cut shows things just as they are
Digging your own grave and trap, but we choose authenticity over cheap thrills
Showing as I wrote it, showing as I spoke it
Pockets full of bluff and pride have long been torn apart
To become someone great, I jumped in recklessly without hesitation
Even if the wall of reality is high, my ambition has never kneeled once
Achievements I’ll endlessly write, with a pen tip that never runs out of ink
No need to be impatient, it’s my pace, still pushing myself today

I keep my creed in my heart
‘Cause holding on to it won’t work at all, yeah
I’ll make sure I get what I want
My creed, it keeps me breathing, uh, uh, yeah

I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
My creed will never fall apart (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I give life to my words (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
I reach heights from the dirt (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
You know I bite the way I bark (Yeah, I’m doing what I say)
Doing what I say, doing what I say

Forging Their Own Path, No Detours Allowed

The pre-chorus is where the song’s title really comes into focus. A “creed” is a system of beliefs that guides someone’s actions. For Stray Kids, their creed is all about embracing the challenge and rejecting the easy way out.

Oh, lord, we’re following our creed to make us lit, huh
I ain’t trippin’, mopseul jang-aemuren parkour, slide, jump
I ain’t trippin’, on nasty obstacles, parkour, slide, jump
Clear your mind, i gisereul mora levitate
Clear your mind, ride this momentum and levitate
jeoldae gaji ana ppareun gil, ’cause we make our own road, huh
We never take the fast path, ’cause we make our own road, huh

I absolutely love the visual of them treating obstacles like a parkour course. It’s not about avoiding problems; it’s about creatively and skillfully navigating them. They’re not just overcoming them; they’re using them as stepping stones to “levitate.” But the most crucial line here is “we make our own road.” It’s a powerful rejection of shortcuts and conformity.

The Devil’s Fragrant Flower

They take this idea even further with a stunningly poetic metaphor:

swipgo ppareun geon angmaga mandeun hyanggiroun kkot
What’s easy and fast is a fragrant flower made by the devil

Just think about that. The easy path might look beautiful and smell sweet—it’s tempting. But it’s a trap. True growth and lasting success come from the harder journey, the one you pave yourself. They choose to stick to what they believe in (“mitneun geudaero jikjin” – go straight as we believe) and push forward at top speed on their chosen path.

Authenticity Over Everything

Changbin’s verse cuts deep into the idea of fakeness versus reality. He paints a picture of a world where many people pretend, but their charade eventually crumbles.

geojisi deureona modeun cheok, inneun geudaero boyeojineun keot
All the pretense and lies are revealed, a cut that shows you as you are
seuseuro pabeoril mudeomgwa deot, ppeonhan jaemiwa jageukbodan jinjeongseong
A grave and trap you dig for yourself, authenticity over obvious fun and stimulation

He’s saying that pretending to be something you’re not is like digging your own grave. In the end, authenticity (jinjeongseong) is what truly matters. He reflects on their relentless drive, how they dove into their dream headfirst, never letting the high “walls of reality” make them kneel. Their pen will never run out of ink because they have countless more achievements to write. It’s about their “my pace” mentality—no need to rush, just a need to keep pushing themselves every single day.

This whole song is a testament to the power of self-belief and hard work. It’s a reminder that the most rewarding journey is the one you create for yourself, guided by your own principles. The message is clear: define your creed, live by it, and let your actions speak louder than any words ever could. Don’t be tempted by the “fragrant flower”; go out and plant your own garden, no matter how tough the soil is.

In the end, “CREED” is more than just a song to get you hyped up (though it definitely does that!). It’s a powerful anthem for anyone who has ever felt pressured to take the easy way out. It’s for the dreamers, the grinders, and the ones who are building their legacy from the ground up, one authentic action at a time. So, what’s your take on it? Does a specific lyric resonate with your own journey? Let’s talk about it!

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