32. Contraction: 흰 = 하얀, 맘 = 마음; Korean Lyricism; 옛사랑 (Old Love) by 이영훈; 갯마을 차차차 (Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, 2021)
I heard that it snowed in Seoul over the weekend. Here in the Iberian peninsula, snow is a rare commodity, enjoyed only in the inland,…
Tag: K-Drama
26. Spring in My Hometown 고향의 봄 from 오빠 생각 (A Melody to Remember, 2016) and D.P. (Deserter Pursuit, 2021)
A young Korean soldier chooses to become a deserter to protect his grandma suffering from dementia. Before getting arrested, he respectfully bows to her, who…
21. My Dear, Come Back to Me Again 그대 내게 다시 by 변진섭; Reply 1988 - Nostalgia of Innocent Times
Ah, nostalgia. 추억. 회상. 그리움. 향수. The bittersweetness of reminiscing and regretting all things past is one of the good things about human memory (기억). …
9. Basic Salutations; 안녕! Hi or Goodbye?
Many of you already know that “안녕하세요” is “Hello!” in Korean. It is the most useful phrase in Korean, since it works perfectly fine in…
How to Introduce Yourself Professionally to Your New Boss; How to Bow in Korea I
If you plan to work in Korea, it makes perfect sense to learn how to introduce yourself correctly. Professional society in Korea is notoriously hierarchical. …
How to Ask a Total Stranger for a Favor - 초면에; Welcome to Waikiki
It is not always easy to ask a perfect stranger to do a favor for you. If you are in a foreign country, the best…
Where, in What Form, Shall We Meet Again? - 어디서 무엇이 되어 다시 만나랴
남자 친구 (The Boyfriend a.k.a. Encounter, 2018) is one of the most artistic K-dramas ever made. If you understand Korean, you can find many, many…
I Will Write Our Story Here -기를/-길 (Expression of a Wish)
시카고 타자기 (Chicago Typewriter, 2017) is one of those hidden masterpieces, oddly underrated for no obvious reason. With its backdrop switching between the glamorous present…
It's Fortunate - 다행이다
Koreans say “다행이다” when things turn out to be better than expected in tough situations or in unfortunate accidents. It is conceptually equivalent to “It’s…
Conjugation: 오다
오-지마세요: Don’t come. (Command – Negative, polite) 오-셨어요: Came (Past tense – Positive, polite); “참 잘 오셨어요 = Informal/friendly way to say “Welcome!” (instead of…
