Vocabulary
뱃멀미
noun
Beginner
seasickness
community emotions
배를 타면 뱃멀미가 심해서 힘들어
When I get on a boat, my seasickness is so bad it's rough.
적응하다
verb
Beginner
to adapt, to adjust
community
새 학교에도 차차 적응하는 거야
You'll adapt to the new school little by little.
메스꺼움
noun
Beginner
nausea, queasiness
emotions
이 약 먹으면 메스꺼움이 가라앉을 거야
If you take this medicine, the nausea will settle down.
살갑다
adjective
Beginner
affectionate, warm, close (in manner)
family emotions
그 사람은 항상 살갑게 대해 줘
That person always treats people warmly.
별일이다
expression
Beginner
What a rare thing; that's unusual (said with mild surprise or irony)
family emotions
네가 먼저 연락하다니 별일이다
It's a rare thing that you reached out first.
잔소리
noun
Beginner
nagging, lecturing, unsolicited scolding
community family
잔소리 그만하고 그냥 해 봐
Stop nagging and just try it.
반주
noun
Intermediate
drinking alcohol alongside a meal; side drink
community
밥 먹으면서 반주 하지 마
Don't drink alcohol along with your meal.
요령
noun
Intermediate
knack, trick, know-how
community
일하다 보면 요령이 생기는 거야
As you keep working, you pick up the knack.
타지
noun
Intermediate
a strange/foreign place away from home
community family
타지에서 혼자 사는 게 쉽지 않아
Living alone in a strange place away from home isn't easy.
가라앉다
verb
Intermediate
to settle down, to subside, to sink
emotions
좀 쉬면 화가 가라앉을 거야
If you rest a bit, your anger will settle down.
외탁하다
verb
Intermediate
to take after the mother's side (in appearance)
family
눈이 완전히 외탁했네
The eyes completely take after the mom's side.
빼다박다
expression
Intermediate
to be a spitting image of someone, to look exactly like
family community
성격이 아빠를 아주 빼다박았어
The personality is a spitting image of dad's.
쓸쓸하다
adjective
Intermediate
lonely, forlorn, desolate
emotions family
혼자 있으면 왠지 쓸쓸해
When I'm alone, I feel kind of lonely for some reason.
인중
noun
Advanced
philtrum (the groove between the nose and upper lip)
family
인중이 길면 장수한다는 말이 있어
There's a saying that a long philtrum means you'll live long.
Key Expressions
Reassuring or defending someone
좀 봐줘라
"look a bit / cut some slack"
Used when asking someone to be lenient or understanding toward another person's shortcoming; conveys a protective, pleading tone.
처음이라 실수할 수 있으니까 좀 봐줘라
It's their first time so they can make mistakes — cut them some slack.
차차 -는 거지
"little by little [verb]-ing, you see"
Expresses gradual progress; used to calm someone down by saying improvement happens over time, not all at once.
차차 익숙해지는 거지, 걱정하지 마
You get used to it little by little — don't worry.
Expressing mild surprise or rarity
별일이다
"it is a special/unusual thing"
Said with light irony or genuine surprise when something unexpected happens, especially from a person who rarely does it.
네가 일찍 일어나다니 별일이다
You waking up early — now that's unusual.
아무 날도 아닌데
"even though it's not any particular day"
Highlights that a gesture happened on an ordinary day with no occasion, making it more surprising or touching.
아무 날도 아닌데 꽃을 사 왔어?
It's not any special day and you bought flowers?
Offering something with care
마시면 -을 거야
"if you drink it, it will [result]"
A gentle conditional offer; used when recommending a remedy or solution, softening the suggestion with an optimistic prediction.
이거 마시면 기분이 나아질 거야
If you drink this, you'll feel better.
내가 만든 건데
"it's something I made"
Adds a personal, caring touch when offering something homemade; implies effort and sincerity without boasting.
내가 만든 건데 한번 먹어 봐
It's something I made — give it a try.
Passing on greetings / staying in touch
안부 전해 주세요
"please convey/pass the regards"
A polite formula for asking someone to pass greetings to a third party; commonly used when ending a conversation with a family member.
친구한테도 안부 전해 줘
Please pass along my regards to your friend too.
잘 지내라 아프지 말고
"take care of yourself, don't get sick"
A warm, slightly formal parting phrase used by elders or parents; conveys care without emotional effusiveness.
거기서도 잘 지내라 아프지 말고
Take care of yourself over there and don't get sick.
Grammar Patterns
-다니까
Emphatic repetition / mild exasperation
Attached to a verb or adjective stem, -다니까 signals that the speaker is repeating or insisting on something already said, often with mild frustration or emphasis. It implies 'I'm telling you' or 'like I said.' It frequently appears in arguments or when correcting someone.
Practice sentences
그거 하지 말라니까, 왜 또 해?
I told you not to do that — why are you doing it again?
배고프다니까 밥 좀 줘
I'm telling you I'm hungry, give me some food.
💡 Don't confuse -다니까 (insistence) with -다니 (expressing surprise or disbelief); the -까 ending is what adds the emphatic 'I'm telling you' force.
-ㄹ 거야
Future prediction or intention
The pattern -ㄹ 거야 is attached to a verb stem to express a future event, prediction, or the speaker's intention. In informal banmal speech it is commonly used to reassure someone or make a confident guess about what will happen.
Practice sentences
조금만 기다리면 괜찮아질 거야
If you wait just a little, it'll get better.
열심히 하면 잘 될 거야
If you work hard, things will work out.
💡 Learners often drop the 거 and say just -ㄹ야, which sounds unnatural; always include 거야 for natural spoken Korean.
-아/어 봐
Encouraging someone to try something
The pattern -아/어 봐 (the informal form of -아/어 보세요) invites or gently commands someone to try doing an action. It softens what might otherwise feel like a direct order, making it sound warm and encouraging rather than demanding.
Practice sentences
모르면 한번 찾아봐
If you don't know, try looking it up.
맛없으면 말해, 일단 먹어 봐
Tell me if it doesn't taste good — just try eating it first.
💡 Remember that 봐 봐 is not redundant — the first 봐 is the action 'to see/look,' and the -아 봐 is the 'try doing it' ending; they serve different roles.
Cultural Notes
반장 (Ban-jang) as a community title
반장 literally means 'group leader' or 'block captain.' In Korean villages and neighborhoods, a 반장 is an informal community liaison who helps residents and passes on local information. Being called '홍 반장' with fondness, as Du-sik is, signals deep community trust and affection — it is not an official government title but a grassroots social role.
어촌계장 — the fishing village co-op leader
어촌계 (漁村契) is a traditional Korean fishing village cooperative. The 계장 is the elected head of this association, responsible for managing shared fishing resources and resolving disputes. This system reflects Korea's long tradition of communal economic management in coastal communities.
Restrained emotion in Korean family phone calls
Hye-jin's brief, awkward phone call to her father reflects a common Korean family dynamic where love is present but not openly expressed. The father's line '별일이다' (how unusual) and stepmother Myeong-sin's remark '살갑게 좀 받지' together reveal this cultural tension — warmth is felt but rarely voiced, especially between adult children and parents.
반주 (Banchu) — drinking with meals
반주 refers to drinking a small amount of alcohol alongside a meal, considered culturally normal or even healthy by older generations in Korea. Du-sik's playful warning to the village elder not to start drinking from breakfast is affectionate teasing rather than serious scolding, reflecting the close, family-like relationships in small Korean communities.