Vocabulary
연락하다
verb
Beginner
to contact, to get in touch
family communication
오기 전에 연락해 줘야지, 미리 준비하게.
You should contact me before you come so I can prepare.
짐작하다
verb
Beginner
to guess, to surmise, to have a rough idea
emotions communication
네 표정 보고 무슨 일인지 대충 짐작했어.
I had a rough idea of what was going on just from your expression.
치우다
verb
Beginner
to tidy up, to clean up, to put away
family daily life
손님 오기 전에 방 좀 치워 놔.
Tidy up the room before the guests arrive.
찌뿌둥하다
adjective
Beginner
to feel stiff/achy all over; to feel under the weather physically
emotions health
아침에 일어났더니 온몸이 찌뿌둥해.
I woke up this morning feeling stiff all over.
무인화
noun
Intermediate
unmanning; automation (replacing humans with machines)
society technology
무인화가 빨라지면서 일자리가 줄고 있어.
As automation speeds up, jobs are decreasing.
대체하다
verb
Intermediate
to replace, to substitute
society technology
사람 하는 일을 로봇으로 대체하는 회사가 늘고 있어.
Companies that replace human work with robots are increasing.
썸을 타다
expression
Intermediate
to have a 'something' (ambiguous romantic tension) with someone; to be in a flirtatious situationship
romance relationships
요즘 옆 팀 사람이랑 썸 타고 있는 것 같아.
It seems like there's something going on between me and someone from the next team lately.
적응하다
verb
Intermediate
to adapt, to adjust
society daily life
새 동네에 적응할 시간이 좀 필요해.
I need some time to adapt to the new neighborhood.
난리
noun
Intermediate
chaos, commotion, a big fuss
emotions social situations
아이가 넘어지는 바람에 집에서 난리가 났어.
The kid fell and the house was in a total uproar.
쫄딱 젖다
expression
Intermediate
to get completely soaked, drenched to the bone
daily life physical description
비가 갑자기 쏟아지는 바람에 쫄딱 젖었어.
I got completely soaked because the rain suddenly poured down.
난처하다
adjective
Intermediate
to be in an awkward/difficult situation; to be in a tight spot
emotions social situations
갑자기 질문을 받아서 좀 난처했어.
I was put in a bit of an awkward spot when I was suddenly asked a question.
수압
noun
Intermediate
water pressure
daily life household
이 집은 수압이 약해서 샤워할 때 불편해.
The water pressure in this house is weak so showering is uncomfortable.
이실직고하다
expression
Advanced
to come clean, to tell the truth honestly (idiomatic; often used when confessing something hidden)
communication emotions
더 이상 숨길 수 없으니까 그냥 이실직고해.
You can't hide it anymore, so just come clean.
흥얼거리다
verb
Advanced
to hum (a tune) casually to oneself
daily life emotions
기분이 좋은지 혼자 흥얼거리면서 걷고 있어.
He must be in a good mood — he's walking along humming to himself.
Key Expressions
Deflecting awkwardness / Making excuses
샤워기 헤드 터지는 바람에
"because the showerhead burst (unexpectedly)"
Uses '-는 바람에' to explain an unintended, inconvenient result caused by a sudden event — a natural excuse formula.
버스가 갑자기 서는 바람에 넘어질 뻔했어.
The bus suddenly stopped, so I almost fell over.
미리 연락을 하고 오시면
"if you had come after contacting first"
A soft, indirect reproach using a conditional; implies 'you should have warned me' without being directly confrontational — typical in family interactions.
미리 말해 줬으면 준비했을 텐데.
If you had told me in advance, I would have prepared.
Casual dismissal / Pushing someone away
알겠어, 일단 가
"I got it, just go for now"
A quick, slightly brusque way to end a conversation and get someone out of sight — '일단' softens the urgency by implying 'for the time being.'
알겠어, 일단 가 있어, 내가 나중에 연락할게.
Got it, just head out for now — I'll contact you later.
너 왜 밀고 그래
"why are you pushing like that"
Informal complaint about someone physically (or figuratively) pushing you away; captures the playful yet tense bickering register between the leads.
야, 왜 밀고 그래, 나 좀 잡아 줘.
Hey, why do you keep pushing — hold on to me a bit.
Expressing surprise / Realizing something
이 사람 만나셨어요?
"Did you meet this person?"
Expresses shocked disbelief in question form — '이 사람' (this person) sounds slightly distanced or flustered, heightening the dramatic irony of the coincidence.
어, 이 사람 어디서 보셨어요?
Huh, where did you meet this person?
Grammar Patterns
-는 바람에
Unexpected cause leading to undesirable result
Attached to action verb stems, '-는 바람에' expresses that an unexpected or sudden event caused an unintended — usually negative or inconvenient — consequence. The result clause cannot be a deliberate action or positive wish. It is stronger and more 'sudden' than because '-아/어서.'
Practice sentences
차가 막히는 바람에 약속에 늦었어.
I was late to the appointment because traffic was suddenly backed up.
전화가 오는 바람에 집중이 끊겼어.
My concentration broke because a phone call suddenly came in.
💡 Do NOT use '-는 바람에' when the result is positive or intentional — e.g. '비가 오는 바람에 여행을 취소했어' ✓ vs. '비가 오는 바람에 기분이 좋아졌어' ✗.
-(으)ㄹ 테니까
Speaker's intention/certainty as premise for a request or suggestion
This pattern combines the speaker's strong intention or confident assumption ('-(으)ㄹ 테-') with the causal connector '-니까' to give the listener a reason to act. It commonly appears in offers, instructions, or negotiations: 'I will do X, so you do Y.' It gives the sentence a decisive, take-charge tone.
Practice sentences
내가 준비할 테니까 너는 그냥 와.
I'll prepare everything, so you just come.
금방 끝날 테니까 잠깐만 기다려.
It'll be done soon, so wait just a moment.
💡 The subject of the '-(으)ㄹ 테니까' clause is typically the speaker — don't confuse it with '-(으)니까' alone, which can have any subject and simply gives a reason.
-고 그래
Mild complaint about repeated or strange behavior
'-고 그래' is attached to a verb stem and expresses mild irritation or bewilderment at someone's repeated or odd behavior. It roughly translates to 'why do you keep doing that?' or 'why are you acting like that?' It is very colloquial and typical of close, banmal-register relationships.
Practice sentences
왜 자꾸 그런 말 하고 그래?
Why do you keep saying things like that?
야, 왜 혼자 다 먹고 그래?
Hey, why do you keep eating everything by yourself?
💡 '-고 그래' is strictly banmal (informal); in formal speech you would rephrase entirely. Do not use it with elders or in professional settings.
Cultural Notes
Dropping by unannounced (갑작스러운 방문)
In Korean family culture, especially among older generations, parents visiting adult children without advance notice is relatively common and generally considered a parental prerogative rather than a breach of etiquette. Hye-jin's mild complaint — 'You could have called first' — reflects the friction between this older norm and younger adults' desire for privacy and independence.
반말 from a stranger (반말 to someone you've just met)
Du-sik's casual use of banmal (informal speech) toward Hye-jin's father at the gas station is a significant social breach. Tae-hwa's quiet observation — '저 친구 나한테 반말한 거 맞지?' — shows how closely Koreans monitor speech levels even in brief encounters. Using banmal to an elder or stranger can read as disrespect or arrogance.
셀프 주유소 (Self-service gas stations)
Self-service gas stations became widespread in South Korea in the 2010s and 2020s, replacing many attendant-staffed pumps. The scene gently satirizes the confusion older Koreans sometimes experience at these automated systems, and Du-sik's patient, helpful guidance characterizes his role as the village jack-of-all-trades who bridges generational gaps.
Village gossip networks (동네 소문)
The scene with Nam-suk illustrates how tightly knit small Korean seaside villages (어촌 마을) can be — information travels almost instantly. Nam-suk's simultaneous claim that she 'told no one' while clearly already having heard the news from the local community officer humorously captures this social reality, which is a recurring source of comedy throughout the show.