Comments on: glossary

By: Cat

Cat — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:02:26 +0000

There are certain phrases I hear over and over, such as “I have something to tell you,” “Do you have a death wish!?” and “Kill me now!”

Am I imagining it, or is “get some rest,” used more often to end a conversation than to express real nurturing? “Don’t worry,” even in situations where this is absurd or impossible advice also occurs in virtually every episode of every drama.

I’d love to see some other examples of the most over-used phrases in Korean drama, and to hear which of these phrases are as common in Korean daily life (or not). Watching from the US with no Korean frame of reference, it’s not always obvious what’s makjang, and what’s just culturally different.

By: Cat

Cat — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:47:30 +0000

Thanks so much for this – subtitles are rarely helpful in understanding the Korean context.

I wonder if you can help me with a word I heard over and over in Haeshin, which would romanize to something like sew-na?

It was used by Yon to address Goong-Bok (although I seem to recall he switched to something else more formal once Goong-bok became Jang Bogo and moved up in the world).

This word was invariably subtitled as Goong-bok’s name, which it obviously wasn’t, which was quite irritating! Would love to know what he was really saying, and what the implications were.

By: jinhee

jinhee — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 16:46:44 +0000

OH GAWD.

I got so close to calling my Korean guy friends “oppa”. O.O’
Thank goodness I read this before that happened. XD

By: LoonyLizard

LoonyLizard — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 18:51:18 +0000

What works even better than the “bad blood” remedy for chae-hada: 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. This mild acid helps to break down the food still in the stomach and move it on its way.

By: mhay

mhay — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 15:52:34 +0000

can you please also include korean word for a girlfriend or boy friend is it if a boy shingu namja if a girl shingu yeoja
and also what is Jangi /jagi (Sorry I dont really with the correct spelling

By: Lynnza

Lynnza — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:47:33 +0000

to jb, and iole for this commnt.. kamsa hamnida

i’m from Kuala Lumpur. long time ago i used to follow winter sonata on the telly here in Malaysia. but have stopped afterwards. nowadays, stumbling upon you’re beautiful.. and then pasta.. and then coffee prince.. i could not stop!

starting last couple of months up until now.. i think i’ve gone through more than 20 k dramas… ohh i’m sooo addicted!

one thing i’ve been wondering.. as i usually watch the romcom instead of other version; is it a real scenario in Korea whereby there’s always 2 guys chasing after 1 girl? you korean girls sure are so lucky if this is the case ;D

By: Sandy

Sandy — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:53:48 +0000

What is the Korean word used for ‘Mister’ in Boys over Flowers drama when Jan Di and Gu Joon Pyo are locked in the railway?

By: sy

sy — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 22:00:20 +0000

Thanks for the extensive glossary!
Does anyone know the meaning of “daebak”?
Keep seeing the word popping up but I’ve got no idea what that means…

By: maryann

maryann — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 05:02:54 +0000

Hi. When exactly do you say byane or byana da. . I don’t know if I speck it right

By: paulbg

paulbg — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:44:51 +0000

The suffix -(n)eun -는/은 is a topic marker, tells you the noun it’s attached to has already been mentioned or is already on the speaker/listener’s minds, kinda sorta like our definite article but not really. Can also be used to add contrast. Contrasts with the subject marker -i/ga/iga 이/가/이가, usually used when introducing a new subject.
The suffix -(r)eul -를/을 is a direct object marker (“accusative” for you Europeans), but the verbs that take it don’t always correspond to things we would think of as transitive in English.
None of these have anything to do with level of politeness or formality, except that there’s a tendency to leave them out in casual speech.