Korean for drama watchers

K-drama Korean: the phrases you keep hearing

You have heard these lines dozens of times under the subtitles. Here is what each one says, who says it to whom, and the polite form to use if you want to say it yourself. Tap to hear it at normal speed or slowly.

Exclamations

Subtitles flatten most of these into “oh my god” or “no way”. In Korean each one has its own flavour, and several tell you something about the speaker's age.

대박daebak · Amazing! / Wow!Literally “jackpot”. For good news or anything impressive. Casual; with friends, not in a meeting.
헐heol · Whoa. / OMG.Slang for shock or disbelief, mostly from younger characters. Casual only.
진짜?jinjja? · Really?Casual. Polite: 진짜요? Without the question mark, 진짜 means “really, truly”.
아이고aigo · Oh dear. / Goodness.A sigh in a word: for tiredness, pity, aching knees, bad news. Said most by older characters, and not rude to anyone.
어머eomeo · Oh my!Surprise, said mostly by women. Doubled for a bigger shock: 어머, 어머!
세상에sesange · My goodness! / Good heavens!Literally “in the world”. For news that is hard to take in. Fine in any company.
말도 안 돼maldo an dwae · No way! / That's ridiculous.Literally “it doesn't even make sense”. Casual; polite: 말도 안 돼요.
설마seolma · Surely not. / You don't mean…Said when a character starts to suspect the worst. Casual on its own; polite: 설마요.
당연하지dangyeonhaji · Of course!Casual, to a friend. Polite: 당연하죠.
아싸assa · Yes! / Woohoo!A cheer when something goes your way. Said to yourself, so there is no polite form.
큰일 났다keunil natda · We're in big trouble. / This is bad.The plain form, said half to yourself when things go wrong. Telling someone politely: 큰일 났어요.
어떡해eotteokae · What do I do? / Oh no.Short for 어떻게 해. Said in panic or sympathy. Casual; polite: 어떡해요.

What people call each other

Korean speakers rarely call each other “you”, and often not by name either. They use a family word or a job title, which is why subtitles show a name where nobody said one.

엄마eomma · MumWhat children and most adults call their own mother. The formal word is 어머니.
아빠appa · DadWhat you call your own father. The formal word is 아버지.
아저씨ajeossi · mister; middle-aged manFor a man of about middle age who is not family: a driver, a neighbour, a stranger. A younger man may not enjoy hearing it.
아줌마ajumma · ma'am; middle-aged womanFor a middle-aged woman who is not family. It can sound blunt and many women dislike it; 아주머니 is politer.
아가씨agassi · miss; young ladyIn period dramas, the daughter of a noble house. Said to a young woman today it can sound condescending, so do not use it.
사장님sajangnim · boss; company president; owner사장 “company head” + the respectful 님. Customers also say it to the owner of a shop or restaurant.
팀장님timjangnim · team leader; manager팀장 “team head” + 님. Korean colleagues call each other by title, not by name, which is why office dramas are full of it.
자기야jagiya · honey; babeBetween couples, married or not. 자기 on its own means “self”.
여보yeobo · honey; darlingBetween husband and wife only. Unmarried couples say 자기야.
야!ya! · Hey!Rude unless said to a close friend of the same age or to someone younger. For understanding, not for use; call a stranger with 저기요.

Romance

Lovers in dramas speak casually to each other, so every line here is in 반말, casual speech. To say one to someone you are not that close to, add 요; each note gives the polite form.

좋아해joahae · I like you.The usual confession line; it comes long before 사랑해. Casual; polite: 좋아해요.
사랑해saranghae · I love you.Casual: to a partner, and in families. Polite: 사랑해요.
보고 싶어bogo sipeo · I miss you.Literally “I want to see you”. Casual; polite: 보고 싶어요.
가지 마gaji ma · Don't go.Usually said holding someone's wrist. Casual; polite: 가지 마세요.
나랑 사귈래?narang sagwillae? · Will you go out with me?Asking someone to be your boyfriend or girlfriend. Casual; polite: 저랑 사귈래요?
첫눈에 반했어cheonnune banhaesseo · I fell for you at first sight.첫눈 is “first sight”. Casual; polite: 첫눈에 반했어요.
내가 지켜 줄게naega jikyeo julge · I'll protect you.A drama promise more than a real-life one. Casual; polite: 제가 지켜 줄게요.
기다릴게gidarilge · I'll wait for you.Casual; polite: 기다릴게요, which is also useful when someone is running late.
행복해haengbokae · I'm happy.Casual; polite: 행복해요. Pronounced [행보캐].
괜찮아?gwaenchana? · Are you okay?Casual. Polite: 괜찮아요? Without the rising tone it is the answer: “I'm fine”.
걱정하지 마geokjeonghaji ma · Don't worry.Casual; polite: 걱정하지 마세요.
미안해mianhae · I'm sorry.Casual, to friends and partners. Polite: 미안해요; to strangers and seniors: 죄송합니다.
우리 헤어지자uri heeojija · Let's break up.The line that ends an episode. Casual; the polite form is 우리 헤어져요.
내 꿈 꿔nae kkum kkwo · Dream of me.A sweet goodnight between a couple, on the phone or at the door. Casual; with 요 it is 내 꿈 꿔요.
잘 자jal ja · Goodnight. / Sleep well.Casual. Polite: 잘 자요; to parents and elders: 안녕히 주무세요.

Arguments and high drama

The lines from the shouting scenes. They are here so you can follow those scenes without the subtitles. Several are rude outside a drama, and the notes say which.

왜 그래?wae geurae? · What's wrong? / Why are you being like this?Concerned or annoyed, depending on the tone. Casual; polite: 왜 그래요?
뭐라고?mworago? · What did you say?Usually disbelief or a challenge, not a hearing problem. Casual; polite: 뭐라고요? If you simply missed something, say 네?
하지 마haji ma · Don't. / Stop it.Casual. Polite: 하지 마세요.
그만해geumanhae · That's enough. / Stop.Casual, to end an argument or teasing. Polite: 그만하세요, which is still firm.
거짓말geojinmal · Liar! / You're lying. / No way.The noun “lie”, used alone as an accusation or as plain disbelief. Casual; do not say it to someone you should be polite to.
미쳤어?michyeosseo? · Are you crazy?An insult in casual speech. For understanding, not for use; adding 요 does not make it polite.
죽을래?jugeullae? · Do you want to die?A threat, in dramas often half joking between friends or siblings. For understanding, not for use.
나가!naga! · Get out!A blunt command, shouted in family and office scenes. For understanding, not for use.
비켜bikyeo · Move. / Out of my way.A rude command. For understanding, not for use; to get past people, say 잠시만요.
됐어dwaesseo · Forget it. / Never mind. / That's enough.Casual and curt: brushing off an offer or an excuse. 됐어요 is still cold; to decline politely, say 괜찮아요.
너 때문이야neo ttaemuniya · It's because of you. / It's your fault.An accusation. 너 is “you” only for close friends and younger people, so there is no polite version of this line. For understanding.
믿을 수 없어mideul su eopseo · I can't believe it.For shock or betrayal. Casual; polite: 믿을 수 없어요.
내 말 들어nae mal deureo · Listen to me.A casual command. A polite way to ask for a hearing: 제 말 좀 들어 보세요.
이럴 수가ireol suga · How can this be?An unfinished sentence, said to yourself at a shocking discovery. It has no casual or polite ending.
정신 차려jeongsin charyeo · Get a grip! / Pull yourself together.Said while shaking someone by the shoulders. Casual command; with 요 form: 정신 차리세요.

Everyday staples

The small lines that fill every episode: at the dinner table, in the office, on the phone. Two of them, 알겠습니다 and 수고하셨습니다, are formal office speech and safe to use as they are.

알았어arasseo · Okay. / Got it.Casual, to friends and family. Polite: 알았어요 or 알겠어요.
알겠습니다algetseumnida · Understood. / Yes, sir. / Yes, ma'am.Formal, and safe to use. What staff say to a boss or a customer.
몰라molla · I don't know.Casual, and sulky when drawn out. Polite: 몰라요, or the softer 모르겠어요.
잠깐만jamkkanman · Wait a second. / Hang on.Casual. Polite: 잠깐만요.
빨리빨리ppallippalli · Hurry up! / Quick, quick!빨리 “quickly”, doubled. Said to hurry someone you know well; it is pushy with strangers.
가자gaja · Let's go.Casual, to friends or people younger than you. Polite: 가요.
밥 먹었어?bap meogeosseo? · Have you eaten?A way of asking “how are you?” that shows you care. Casual; polite: 밥 먹었어요?, and to elders: 식사하셨어요?
배고파baegopa · I'm hungry.Casual. Polite: 배고파요.
맛있겠다masitgetda · That looks delicious.The plain form, said to yourself when the food arrives. To someone politely: 맛있겠어요.
수고하셨습니다sugohasyeosseumnida · Thank you for your hard work. / Good work today.Formal, and safe to use. Said in every office and film-set scene when the day's work ends.
조심해josimhae · Be careful. / Take care.Casual. Polite: 조심하세요.
축하해chukahae · Congratulations.Casual. Polite: 축하해요; formal: 축하합니다.
약속해yaksokae · Promise me. / I promise.Often with linked little fingers. Casual; polite: 약속해요.
건배!geonbae! · Cheers!Said as glasses touch. The same word works in any company.

Talking about dramas

Vocabulary for the dramas themselves: the roles, the plot devices, and the words you need to talk about an ending without spoiling it.

드라마deurama · drama; TV seriesThe English word, borrowed. 한국 드라마 is “Korean drama”, shortened to 한드.
주인공juingong · main character; leadThe hero or heroine of a story, in dramas, films and novels alike.
남주namju · male leadShort for 남자 주인공. The second male lead is 서브 남주.
여주yeoju · female leadShort for 여자 주인공.
악역agyeok · villain (the role)악 “evil” + 역 “role”: the part an actor plays, not a word for a bad person in real life.
재벌jaebeol · chaebolA family-run business conglomerate, and by extension the family that owns one. 재벌 2세 is the second-generation heir so many male leads are.
첫사랑cheotsarang · first love첫 “first” + 사랑 “love”. In dramas, the person who comes back years later.
삼각관계samgakgwangye · love triangle삼각 “triangle” + 관계 “relationship”.
복수boksu · revengeThe engine of many plots. 복수극 is a revenge drama.
비밀bimil · secret출생의 비밀, “the secret of someone's birth”, is a classic plot device.
운명unmyeong · fate; destinyWhat the leads call it when they keep running into each other.
사극sageuk · historical drama; period dramaA drama set in Korea's past, with court dress and an older style of speech.
막장makjang · makjang (over-the-top melodrama)Said of dramas that pile up outrageous twists: affairs, swapped babies, memory loss. Used as criticism and with affection.
결말gyeolmal · endingHow a story turns out. Used for dramas, films and novels.
마지막 회majimak hoe · final episode마지막 “last” + 회, the counter for episodes. The first episode is 첫 회 or 1회.
정주행jeongjuhaeng · binge-watching from start to finishWatching every episode in order, from the first. Borrowed from driving, where it means going the right way down the road.
스포seupo · spoilerShort for 스포일러. 스포 금지 means “no spoilers”.
해피엔딩haepiending · happy endingThe English phrase, borrowed. The opposite is 새드엔딩.

Before you repeat them

Most lines here are 반말, casual speech, used with close friends of your own age, younger people and partners. With anyone else, add 요: 괜찮아? becomes 괜찮아요?, 미안해 becomes 미안해요. Said to a stranger or an older person, the casual form is rude.
Listen for the ending when two characters talk. If one says 요 and the other does not, you have learned who is older or senior. When a couple drops 요 for the first time, the relationship has changed.
Lines such as 야!, 미쳤어? and 죽을래? are for understanding. Characters get away with them because of the script; a learner will not.
Try an episode you know well with Korean subtitles. The short lines on this page come round so often that you will soon read them before you hear them.

Caught a word in a scene that is not here? Paste it into the lookup on the Hangul chart page to take it apart.

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