Vocabulary
잔
noun
Beginner
glass (for drinking); also a counter for drinks
romance daily life
와인 잔 두 개 가져올게.
I'll bring two wine glasses.
냄새
noun
Beginner
smell, scent, odor
daily life
꽃 냄새가 좋아서 창문 열었어.
I opened the window because the flower scent was nice.
용감하다
adjective
Beginner
brave, courageous
emotions
그렇게 용감한 사람은 처음 봤어.
I've never seen someone that brave before.
반응하다
verb
Beginner
to react, to respond
emotions
무서울 때 몸이 먼저 반응하더라.
When I'm scared, my body reacts first.
취하다
verb
Beginner
to get drunk, to become intoxicated
romance daily life
나 별로 안 마셨는데 취한 것 같아.
I didn't drink much but I think I'm drunk.
디캔팅
noun
Intermediate
decanting; the process of pouring wine into another vessel to separate sediment and allow it to breathe
daily life romance
이 와인은 오래됐으니까 디캔팅 없이 마시는 게 나을 것 같아.
Since this wine is old, I think it's better to drink it without decanting.
모으다
verb
Intermediate
to collect, to gather, to save up
daily life
어릴 때부터 우표를 모았어.
I've been collecting stamps since I was little.
편견
noun
Intermediate
prejudice, bias
emotions
그 사람에 대한 편견을 버려야 할 것 같아.
I think I need to let go of my prejudice toward that person.
쌍둥이처럼 닮다
expression
Intermediate
to resemble (someone) closely; here used in the sense of being a copycat or lookalike
daily life
저 사람 완전 짝퉁 같지 않아?
Doesn't that person seem like a total fake?
선행
noun
Intermediate
good deed, act of virtue
emotions family
그 아이는 작은 선행으로 상을 받았대.
I heard that kid won an award for a small good deed.
구하다
verb
Intermediate
to save, to rescue someone
emotions
위험한 상황에서 사람을 구하다니 대단해.
It's amazing that you saved someone in such a dangerous situation.
어우러지다
verb
Intermediate
to go well together, to harmonize, to pair well
daily life romance
이 음식이 레드 와인이랑 잘 어울릴 것 같아.
I think this food will go well with red wine.
빠듯하다
adjective
Advanced
to be barely enough, to be tight (financially or in terms of time/space)
daily life emotions
이번 달은 생활비가 너무 빠듯해.
This month's living expenses are really tight.
몸이 먼저 반응하다
expression
Advanced
one's body reacts instinctively before the mind processes the situation; to act on reflex
emotions
위험한 걸 보면 생각보다 몸이 먼저 반응하게 돼.
When you see something dangerous, your body reacts before you even think.
짝퉁
noun
Advanced
a fake, knockoff, or imitation (colloquial); can refer to counterfeit goods or a person pretending to be someone else
daily life
그 가방 진짜야, 짝퉁이야?
Is that bag real or a fake?
Key Expressions
Deflecting / brushing off an apology or concern
미안해하지 않아도 돼
"You don't have to feel sorry"
Used to ease someone's guilt after they apologize for something you cannot change; signals emotional maturity and a desire to move on without awkwardness.
실수한 거니까 미안해하지 않아도 돼요.
I'm fine. You don't need to feel sorry.
내가 상관할 일이 아니네
"It's not something I should be concerned with"
A slightly self-correcting expression used when the speaker realizes they were overstepping; can carry a tone of mild withdrawal or resignation.
그 사람 일은 내가 상관할 일이 아닌 것 같아.
I think that person's business is not mine to interfere with.
Making a lighthearted command or redirection
그냥 마셔
"Just drink it"
A blunt, affectionate redirect used between close friends or people with growing intimacy; signals impatience but in a warm, teasing way.
설명 그만하고 그냥 먹어봐.
Stop explaining and just eat it.
이미 그만해
"Stop it already"
Used to tell someone to cease an action that has gone on too long; the addition of 이미 ('already') adds exasperated emphasis.
계속 웃지 말고 그만 좀 해.
Stop laughing already.
Acknowledging being somewhere frequently / familiarity
그렇다고 할 수도 있지
"You could say that / I suppose so"
A vague, non-committal confirmation; the speaker acknowledges the other's interpretation without fully agreeing, often implying a more complex truth behind the simple answer.
자주 거기 가냐고? 그렇다고 할 수도 있지.
I'm a bit sensitive, so I suppose you could say that.
집처럼 드나들다
"to come and go as if it were home"
An idiomatic expression describing someone who visits a place so frequently and comfortably that they treat it like their own home; used to tease or note ease of familiarity.
걔 우리 집을 자기 집처럼 드나들어.
That person comes and goes at my place like it's their own home.
Grammar Patterns
-았/었던
Retrospective past modifier
Attaches to verb or adjective stems to describe something that was the case in the past but is no longer true now, or to recall a past state/action with a sense of nostalgia or distance. It differs from the simple past modifier -ㄴ/은 by emphasizing that the state has since changed or ended.
Practice sentences
어렸을 때 살았던 동네가 너무 보고 싶어.
I really miss the neighborhood where I used to live as a kid.
예전에 자주 갔던 카페가 없어졌어.
The café I used to go to often has closed down.
💡 Don't confuse -았던 (action completed and now distant/changed) with -ㄴ (simple past modifier); -았던 carries a sense of 'back then, no longer the case.'
-(으)ㄹ 것 같아
Soft conjecture / probability
Expresses the speaker's inference or reasonable guess about a present or future situation based on evidence or feeling. It is softer and less presumptuous than a flat statement, making it ideal for polite conversation and expressing uncertainty.
Practice sentences
이 길로 가면 더 빠를 것 같아.
I think going this way will be faster.
오늘 늦을 것 같은데 먼저 먹어.
I think I'll be late today, so go ahead and eat first.
💡 Do not drop 것 and say just -ㄹ 같아; the full form -(으)ㄹ 것 같아 is required for this conjecture pattern.
-고 싶었는데
Unfulfilled past desire / mild regret
Combines -고 싶다 (want to) with the retrospective past tense to express a desire that existed in the past but was not fulfilled, often accompanied by a tone of mild regret or longing. The trailing -는데 adds a nuance of contrast or leaves the thought open-ended.
Practice sentences
같이 가고 싶었는데 시간이 없었어.
I wanted to go together, but I didn't have time.
더 일찍 말해주고 싶었는데 용기가 안 났어.
I wanted to tell you sooner, but I couldn't work up the courage.
💡 The trailing -는데 signals an unfinished thought or implied contrast; don't replace it with -어 or the nuance of open-ended regret is lost.
Cultural Notes
Brave Citizen Award (선행상 / 의인상)
In South Korea, individuals who perform extraordinary acts of courage or community service — such as stopping a crime or saving a life — can receive official recognition from the police or local government, sometimes called the 선행상 or 의인상. A small cash reward is often included. Du-sik donating his prize money to the senior center reflects a common K-drama trope of the quietly selfless local hero.
Decanting wine in Korean drinking culture
Wine culture has grown rapidly in South Korea, and discussions of proper wine etiquette — such as decanting, swirling, and nose-first tasting — appear frequently in urban K-dramas as markers of sophistication. Du-sik's casual wine knowledge, framed as something he 'just picked up,' is used to subtly hint at his educated, well-traveled past that the show gradually reveals.
Emotional restraint around death and family loss
In Korean social norms, discussing the death of one's parents is treated with great sensitivity. Du-sik's terse, matter-of-fact disclosure — followed immediately by a practical request — is culturally significant: deflecting from grief with action is common. Hye-jin's 'sorry' and his gentle refusal of her sympathy reflects the Korean value of 눈치 (nunchi), reading the room and not pressing further.
Banmal as emotional intimacy
Both characters use banmal (informal speech) throughout this scene, which signals that they have moved past polite formality and are treating each other as equals or close acquaintances. In Korean, switching to or maintaining banmal during a vulnerable conversation heightens the sense of emotional closeness and trust being built between two people.