Vocabulary
거리
noun
Beginner
distance, the space between two points
daily life
여기서 역까지 걸어갈 수 있는 거리예요.
It's a walkable distance from here to the station.
경치
noun
Beginner
scenery, view
nature daily life
이 카페는 경치가 정말 좋아요.
This café has a really nice view.
불청객
noun
Beginner
uninvited guest, unwelcome visitor
daily life romance
파티에 불청객이 나타나서 다들 당황했어요.
An uninvited guest showed up at the party and everyone was flustered.
숙성
noun
Beginner
aging, fermentation (of food or alcohol)
food
이 김치는 3개월 숙성시킨 거라 맛이 깊어요.
This kimchi was aged for three months, so the flavor is rich.
듬뿍
adverb
Beginner
generously, in abundance, a lot (of something poured or added)
food daily life
크림을 듬뿍 올려서 먹으면 더 맛있어요.
It tastes better if you put a generous amount of cream on top.
저의
noun
Intermediate
hidden motive, ulterior motive
romance emotions
그 사람이 갑자기 친절해진 저의가 뭔지 모르겠어요.
I'm not sure what the hidden motive is behind that person suddenly being so kind.
자의식 과잉
expression
Intermediate
excessive self-consciousness; being overly aware of oneself or thinking everything is about you
emotions romance
남들이 다 나를 보는 것 같아서 걱정했는데, 자의식 과잉이었나 봐요.
I was worried it felt like everyone was watching me — I guess I was just being overly self-conscious.
담금주
noun
Intermediate
homemade infused liquor, spirits made by soaking fruits or herbs in alcohol
food
할머니가 직접 담근 담금주는 맛이 특별해요.
The homemade infused liquor my grandmother made herself has a special flavor.
구제하다
verb
Intermediate
to rescue, to bail someone out, to save someone from a difficult situation
emotions romance
그 친구가 어려울 때마다 제가 구제해 줬어요.
I bailed that friend out every time they were in trouble.
염려되다
verb
Intermediate
to be worried about, to be concerned about someone or something
emotions romance
혼자 늦게 다니는 게 염려돼서 전화했어요.
I called because I was worried about you being out alone so late.
망상
noun
Intermediate
delusion, fantasy, an unfounded belief about reality
emotions
그 사람이 나를 좋아한다고 생각했는데 그냥 망상이었어요.
I thought that person liked me, but it was just a delusion.
불법 부착물
noun
Advanced
illegally posted flyer or sticker; material affixed to public property without authorization
daily life
전봇대에 붙어 있는 불법 부착물을 신고했어요.
I reported the illegally posted flyer stuck on the utility pole.
경범죄 처벌법
noun
Advanced
Minor Offenses Act; the Korean law dealing with petty crimes and public nuisance violations
daily life
길에서 쓰레기를 버리면 경범죄 처벌법에 걸릴 수도 있어요.
If you litter on the street, you could fall under the Minor Offenses Act.
하나부터 열까지
expression
Advanced
from one to ten; from A to Z; every single thing without exception
daily life emotions
하나부터 열까지 직접 준비해서 정말 힘들었어요.
I prepared everything from A to Z myself, so it was really exhausting.
Key Expressions
Deflecting or challenging someone's motive
저의가 뭐야?
"What is the hidden motive?"
Used to directly (often suspiciously or playfully) question why someone is really doing something. Implies you sense an ulterior motive.
갑자기 잘해 주는 저의가 뭐예요?
What's your hidden motive for suddenly being so nice?
자의식 과잉이다
"It is excessive self-consciousness"
A blunt way of telling someone they're overthinking how much others notice or care about them. Often used to shut down someone who thinks everything revolves around them.
그게 다 자의식 과잉인 거예요, 아무도 신경 안 써요.
That's all just excessive self-consciousness — nobody cares.
Boasting about personal effort
하나부터 열까지 내 손에 안 닿은 게 없어
"From one to ten, there is nothing my hands haven't touched"
An emphatic expression meaning you personally handled every single detail. Used to show pride in one's effort or craftsmanship.
이 행사는 하나부터 열까지 제가 직접 준비했어요.
I personally prepared every single thing for this event from start to finish.
Brushing off concern / being easy-going
거야, 거야, 잘할 거야
"He will, he will, he'll do well"
Hye-jin mimics Du-sik's confident, self-sufficient personality with this playful repetitive phrase. It humorously characterizes someone who insists on doing everything alone.
저 사람은 항상 '괜찮아, 혼자서 잘할 거야' 하는 스타일이에요.
That person always has the attitude of 'I'm fine, I'll manage just fine on my own.'
Admitting and conceding
오케이 그건 인정
"Okay, that I acknowledge"
A casual, often slightly reluctant way of conceding a point in a light argument. Common in informal conversation among friends or near-peers.
늦은 건 인정해요, 근데 이유가 있었어요.
I'll admit I was late, but there was a reason.
그렇긴 하네
"That is true, isn't it"
A soft, casual acknowledgment that what someone said has merit, even if you hadn't thought of it before. Expresses mild, slightly surprised agreement.
그렇긴 하네요, 생각해 보니까 맞는 말이에요.
That's true, now that I think about it, you're right.
Grammar Patterns
-다니까
Emphatic repetition / insistence
Attached to a verb or adjective stem, -다니까 is used when a speaker is reiterating or insisting on something, often because they feel the listener doubts or hasn't accepted what they said. It carries a tone of mild exasperation or confident re-assertion.
Practice sentences
그 사람 좋은 사람이라니까요, 왜 안 믿어요?
I'm telling you, that person is a good person — why won't you believe me?
저 진짜 괜찮다니까요.
I'm seriously telling you, I'm fine.
💡 Don't confuse -다니까 (insistence) with -(으)니까 (reason/cause). -다니까 always refers back to something already stated.
-(으)ㄹ 분이라
Characterizing someone's likely behavior
This pattern combines the future/potential modifier -(으)ㄹ with the honorific noun 분 (person) and the reason/explanation particle -이라, to describe someone as 'the type of person who would do X.' It expresses a characterization often tinged with affection or gentle teasing.
Practice sentences
혼자서도 다 잘하실 분이라 걱정 안 해요.
I'm not worried because he's the type of person who can handle everything on his own.
길을 잘 잃어버리실 분이라 지도를 보내줬어요.
I sent the map because she's the type of person who easily gets lost.
💡 The honorific form 분 elevates the politeness. Use 사람이라 in fully casual speech, 분이라 when showing some deference to the person being described.
-나 봐 / -나 봐요
Inferring based on observation
-(으)나 봐 expresses a speaker's tentative inference or realization based on observable evidence or context. It translates loosely as 'it seems like…' or 'I guess…' and conveys that you're reasoning from clues rather than stating a fact.
Practice sentences
두식이 그 인삼주 정말 아꼈나 봐요.
It seems like Du-sik really treasured that ginseng liquor.
혜진이 선배한테 숨기고 싶은 게 있나 봐요.
It seems like Hye-jin has something she wants to hide from her senior.
💡 Use -나 봐 with action verbs (verb stem + 나 봐) and -인가 봐 / -(으)ㄴ가 봐 with adjectives and nouns. Mixing these is a common learner error.
Cultural Notes
Homemade infused liquor (담금주) culture
Making 담금주 (infused spirits) at home is a beloved tradition in Korea, often involving ginseng, herbs, or fruit soaked in soju or rice liquor. Aging for months or even years is common, and one's 담금주 collection is often a source of personal pride, especially among older generations. Du-sik's multi-shelf collection signals his connection to traditional craftsmanship.
엎어지면 코 닿을 거리 — Korean distance idiom
This colorful idiom literally means 'a distance so close that if you fell forward, your nose would touch it.' It's used to emphasize how unnecessarily short a distance someone is walking. Equivalent to saying 'it's right next door' with a dismissive, teasing edge. It reflects the Korean tendency to use vivid physical imagery in everyday speech.
Speech level shifts and social dynamics
In this scene, Seong-hyeon uses polite endings with Du-sik (a stranger of similar age) while Hye-jin freely mixes between casual and polite registers depending on the moment — reflecting her closer relationship with Du-sik. Notice how Hye-jin says '아니긴 뭘 아니에요' to her senior Seong-hyeon, which is slightly bold; this marks their comfortable sunbae-hubae relationship.
경범죄 처벌법 — Minor Offenses Act
Korea's Minor Offenses Act (경범죄 처벌법) covers small public nuisance violations including illegal flyposting. Officer Eun-cheol's immediate citation of the specific article and clause is played for comedy but reflects a real Korean cultural type: the person who is so devoted to their profession that they apply it to every corner of daily life.