Vocabulary
과외
noun
Beginner
private tutoring (outside of school)
community family
학비 벌려고 과외를 세 개나 했어.
I did three tutoring gigs to pay for tuition.
연락처
noun
Beginner
contact information
romance community
연락처 좀 알려 줄 수 있어?
Can you give me your contact info?
자긍심
noun
Beginner
self-pride, sense of pride
emotions community
일을 잘 해냈을 때 자긍심이 생겨.
I feel a sense of pride when I do my work well.
차질
noun
Intermediate
setback, hitch, disruption to a plan
community emotions
계획대로 진행되면 차질 없이 끝날 거야.
If things go as planned, it'll finish without a hitch.
화수분
noun
Intermediate
a bottomless pot (mythical vessel that never empties); used figuratively for an inexhaustible source
community emotions
냉장고가 화수분이야? 음식이 왜 이렇게 많아?
Is the fridge a bottomless pit? Why is there so much food?
멋쩍다
adjective
Intermediate
to feel awkward, sheepish, or embarrassed
emotions romance
칭찬받으면 항상 멋쩍어하잖아.
You always get sheepish when you're complimented.
더치페이
noun
Intermediate
going Dutch, splitting the bill equally
community
친한 친구끼리도 더치페이하는 게 편할 수도 있어.
Even close friends can find it easier to split the bill.
편견
noun
Intermediate
prejudice, bias
community emotions
외모로 사람을 판단하는 건 편견이야.
Judging people by their appearance is a prejudice.
파절
noun
Intermediate
tooth fracture (dental term)
community
파절 위험이 있으니까 딱딱한 거 씹지 마.
Don't chew hard things because there's a risk of fracture.
수복
noun
Intermediate
dental restoration (filling or crown procedure)
community
수복 과정을 생략하면 나중에 더 아플 수도 있어.
If you skip the restoration process, it might hurt more later.
쪼르륵
adverb
Advanced
in a neat little row; also the sound of liquid trickling (here: sitting in a tidy cluster)
community
애들이 선생님 앞에 쪼르륵 줄 서 있었어.
The kids were all lined up in a neat row in front of the teacher.
시리다
adjective
Advanced
to feel sharp cold pain; sensitive (teeth, cold); also emotionally cold/piercing
emotions
찬물 마시면 이가 시리지 않아?
Don't your teeth hurt when you drink cold water?
Key Expressions
Expressing inevitability or assumed outcome
인연이 아니었나 봐
"It seems it wasn't a fated connection"
Used to resignedly accept that something didn't work out, attributing it to fate or lack of destiny. Soft and reflective in tone.
우리가 같은 팀이 못 된 건 인연이 아니었나 봐.
I guess it wasn't meant to be that we'd be on the same team.
-ㄹ 줄 알았어요
"I thought (you/they) would…"
Expresses a mistaken expectation about what was going to happen. Often used to reveal surprise that reality turned out differently.
걔가 그렇게 말할 줄 알았어.
I knew he'd say something like that.
Casual deflection or polite refusal
너무 죄송한데
"I'm so sorry, but…"
A softened refusal opener. Used before giving an explanation for why you can't comply. The -는데 signals a contrast or hesitation is coming.
아, 너무 죄송한데 오늘은 제가 먼저 가야 될 것 같아요.
Oh, I'm so sorry, but I think I need to leave first today.
Expressing genuine sincerity or commitment
-에 진심이다
"to be genuinely into / serious about —"
A modern colloquial expression meaning someone is deeply sincere or passionate about something. Widely used in contemporary Korean speech.
걔는 진짜 요리에 진심이야.
That person is genuinely passionate about cooking.
차질 없게 준비할게요
"I will prepare so there are no setbacks"
A formal, professional commitment phrase. Shows reliability and dedication; often used in work or academic settings to reassure someone of your competence.
걱정 마세요, 차질 없게 준비할게요.
Don't worry, I'll make sure everything is prepared without a hitch.
Expressing strong personal principle or pushback
그걸 그냥 넘겨?
"Can I just let that slide?"
A rhetorical question expressing that ignoring the situation is out of the question. Conveys moral indignation or protective instinct.
친구가 혼자 밥도 못 먹는다는데 그걸 그냥 넘겨?
My friend says they can't even eat alone — how can I just let that slide?
정 없잖아
"That's so cold (lacking warmth/affection), isn't it?"
정 (jeong) refers to the deep emotional bond in Korean relationships. Saying something is '정 없다' means it feels cold, distant, or lacking the warmth expected between people who care about each other.
밥도 같이 안 먹고 가면 너무 정 없잖아.
It's so cold to leave without even eating together, don't you think?
Grammar Patterns
-아/어 가지고
Cause or manner connector (casual)
A casual spoken equivalent of -아서/어서, indicating cause, reason, or manner. It is softer and more colloquial, frequently heard in informal conversation. Unlike -아서, it can sometimes emphasize an ongoing state leading to a result.
Practice sentences
늦게 일어나 가지고 버스를 놓쳤어.
I overslept and missed the bus.
너무 웃겨 가지고 눈물이 났어.
It was so funny that tears came out.
💡 Don't confuse with -아/어서 in formal writing; -아/어 가지고 is casual speech only and sounds unnatural in written or formal contexts.
-(으)ㄹ 텐데
Assumed situation with concern
Combines -(으)ㄹ 것이다 (supposition) with -는데 (contextual contrast or concern), expressing a speaker's inference about a situation and their concern or consideration about it. It is often used to show empathy or provide a reason.
Practice sentences
혼자 하기 힘들 텐데 도와줄까?
It must be hard to do alone — want me to help?
배가 많이 고플 텐데 빨리 먹자.
You must be really hungry — let's eat quickly.
💡 The honorific form is -(으)실 텐데; forgetting to add -시- when speaking to or about someone older is a common politeness error.
-다니까
Insistence or emphasis on what one said
Used to insist upon or emphasize a statement that the speaker feels is not being believed or acknowledged. It conveys mild frustration or the desire to stress a point already made. Often translates as 'I'm telling you' or 'I said!'
Practice sentences
진짜 맛있다니까, 한 번만 먹어 봐.
I'm telling you it's really delicious — just try it once.
내가 먼저 도착했다니까?
I'm telling you, I arrived first!
💡 -다니까 comes after a verb/adjective stem in present or past tense; do not confuse with -다니 (expressing surprise at something heard), which has a different meaning.
Cultural Notes
정 (Jeong) — Korean emotional bond
정 is a uniquely Korean concept describing the deep affection, attachment, and sense of duty that develops between people through shared experience and time. When Seonghyeon says 이렇게 계산해서 주는 건 너무 정 없잖아, he is invoking this cultural value — splitting bills too precisely can feel like an assertion of distance rather than closeness. In Korean social life, treating someone to a meal or refusing reimbursement is often an expression of 정, not just generosity.
선배/후배 (Senior-Junior) Relationship
The 선배-후배 dynamic is central to Korean social and academic culture. A 선배 (senior, someone who entered school or a company earlier) carries an implicit duty to look after their 후배 (junior). Seonghyeon buying Hyejin a meal and insisting on it is not just kindness — it is fulfilling a culturally expected role. Hyejin's playful line about 선배의 자긍심 (a senior's pride) both teases and acknowledges this unwritten social contract.
학비와 알바 문화 (Tuition and Part-Time Work Culture)
University tuition in South Korea can be very high, and it is common for students from non-wealthy families to fund their education through 알바 (part-time work) and 과외 (private tutoring). Hyejin carrying a sausage as her lunch while rushing to a tutoring gig paints a vivid picture of the financially strapped student experience that many Korean viewers will recognize and relate to deeply.
총총 as a playful farewell
총총 (chong-chong) mimics the sound and image of someone scurrying away quickly with small quick steps. Used as a parting word, it is light-hearted and self-aware — almost like saying 'toodles!' or 'off I go!' in English. It has an endearing, slightly old-fashioned or ironic quality that makes it popular in casual Korean speech and online communication.