Vocabulary
상
noun
Beginner
award, prize, medal
family emotions
동생이 글짓기 대회에서 상 받았어.
My younger sibling won an award at the writing contest.
기쁘다
adjective
Beginner
to be happy, joyful, glad
emotions
오늘 친구가 와서 정말 기뻐.
My friend is coming today so I'm really happy.
파티
noun
Beginner
party, celebration
family community
생일 파티 준비하느라 엄청 바빴어.
I was so busy preparing for the birthday party.
영상 통화
noun
Beginner
video call
family
멀리 사는 할머니랑 매주 영상 통화 해.
I do a video call with my grandmother who lives far away every week.
주말
noun
Beginner
weekend
family
이번 주말에 뭐 할 거야?
What are you going to do this weekend?
맛있다
adjective
Beginner
to be delicious, tasty
family
오늘 저녁에 맛있는 거 먹으러 가자.
Let's go eat something delicious tonight.
경시대회
noun
Intermediate
academic competition, olympiad (especially math or science)
family emotions
수학 경시대회 준비하려면 매일 연습해야 해.
You have to practice every day to prepare for a math competition.
은상
noun
Intermediate
silver medal / silver prize
family emotions
우리 반 친구가 미술 대회에서 은상 받았어.
A classmate of mine won a silver prize at an art competition.
천재
noun
Intermediate
genius, prodigy
family emotions
그 애는 피아노를 너무 잘 쳐서 천재 소리 들어.
That kid plays piano so well that people call them a genius.
장하다
adjective
Intermediate
to be admirable, praiseworthy, to have done well (used for others)
emotions family
이렇게 어려운 시험을 혼자 준비했다니 정말 장해.
You prepared for such a difficult exam all by yourself — you really did well.
기여하다
verb
Intermediate
to contribute, to make a contribution
family community
팀 프로젝트에서 나도 기여한 부분이 있어.
I also contributed my part in the team project.
관절
noun
Intermediate
joint (of the body)
community
날씨가 추워지면 관절이 아픈 사람이 많아.
When the weather gets cold, many people have joint pain.
투표
noun
Intermediate
vote, voting
community
반장은 투표로 뽑는 게 공평해.
It's fair to elect the class president by vote.
뽑다
verb
Intermediate
to select, pick, elect
community
주민들이 직접 대표를 뽑을 수 있어.
Residents can directly elect their representative.
나이테
noun
Advanced
tree rings, annual rings (growth rings in wood)
community
이 나무 나이테를 세어 보면 몇 년 됐는지 알 수 있어.
If you count the tree rings, you can tell how old this tree is.
숨통이 트이다
expression
Advanced
to finally be able to breathe; to get relief from stress or a difficult situation
emotions community
마감이 끝나고 나서야 좀 숨통이 트였어.
I could finally breathe once the deadline was over.
유대감
noun
Advanced
sense of bond, solidarity, connectedness
family community
같이 여행을 다녀오고 나서 팀원들 사이에 유대감이 생겼어.
After traveling together, a sense of bond formed among the team members.
고취시키다
verb
Advanced
to inspire, elevate, foster (a feeling or spirit)
emotions community
이 행사는 참가자들의 자신감을 고취시키는 게 목적이야.
The purpose of this event is to inspire the participants' confidence.
Key Expressions
Speech levels in this scene: Korean changes verb endings depending on who you're talking to. The short forms here (반말, banmal) are for close friends, partners, and children. Adding -요 makes a sentence polite enough for most adults you don't know well. Characters slide between the two mid-conversation — closer moments get shorter endings. Each expression below says who you can safely say it to.
Sharing exciting news
상 받았어
"received an award"
A casual, direct way to announce that someone has won a prize; the plain past tense keeps it natural in banmal between friends or family.
🗣 You can say this to a parent, sibling, close friend, or your own child — anyone you speak to casually, like family or friends your own age.
야, 우리 언니가 글쓰기 대회에서 상 받았어!
Hey, my older sister won an award at a writing competition!
대박
"jackpot / big hit"
Exclamatory slang expressing amazement or excitement; used across ages in casual speech when something is surprising and wonderful.
🗣 Friends your age, cousins, or younger kids can say this to each other; it works casually between people who are comfortable and close.
대박, 그 팀이 이겼어? 진짜?
No way, that team won? For real?
잘했어
"did well"
A warm, simple phrase to praise someone's effort or achievement; commonly used by parents and friends in banmal.
🗣 A parent, older sibling, teacher, or close friend your age can say this to a child or someone younger to show they're proud of them.
발표 긴장했을 텐데 잘했어.
You must have been nervous about the presentation — you did great.
Making plans together
시간 좀 내
"make a little time"
A casual request for someone to carve out time; the 좀 softens the request so it sounds friendly rather than demanding.
🗣 You can say this to a close friend, a partner, or a family member — someone you speak to casually and feel comfortable asking a favor of.
이번 주에 시간 좀 내서 같이 밥 먹자.
Make a little time this week and let's eat together.
그래야지
"that's what we should do / of course"
Expresses enthusiastic agreement with a plan; also implies a sense of moral or social obligation, as in 'we really ought to do that.'
🗣 Friends your age, family members, or a partner can say this to each other when agreeing with something someone just suggested.
오랜만에 가족 모두 모이는 거니까 그래야지.
It's been a long time since the whole family got together, so of course we should.
Expressing pride in a child
훌륭한 아들 두셨네요
"you've raised a wonderful son"
A compliment directed at the parent, acknowledging their child's achievement; uses the honorific 두셨네요 to show respect to the parent.
🗣 You can say this to an adult, like a neighbor's parent or an older person, to compliment them on their child — the ending shows respect to that grown-up.
훌륭한 딸 두셨네요, 정말 대단한 것 같아요.
You've raised a wonderful daughter — she really seems incredible.
우리 아들
"our son (my son)"
Koreans often use 우리 ('our/we') instead of 내 ('my') when referring to family; it signals belonging and warmth.
🗣 Anyone can use this when talking about their own family member — a parent talking about their child, or a child talking about their mom — to sound warm and close.
우리 아들이 오늘 처음으로 혼자 밥을 차려 줬어.
My son made a meal by himself for the first time today.
Playful denial or correction
아니거든?
"that's not the case, actually"
A light, playful denial often used when teasing; the -거든 ending adds a mild 'you've got it wrong' or 'for your information' flavor.
🗣 Close friends your age or a partner can say this to each other when joking around and pushing back on something in a playful way.
내가 먼저 말하려고 했거든? 아니거든?
I was going to say it first, actually — that's not right!
걸렸다
"got caught"
Used when someone is caught in a lie, scheme, or embarrassing situation; often said by the person who catches the other, with a teasing tone.
🗣 A friend, sibling, or partner can say this when they catch the other person in a little trick or white lie, in a teasing and lighthearted way.
몰래 과자 먹으려다가 엄마한테 걸렸다.
I got caught by mom while trying to sneak a snack.
내가 낳았거든?
"I'm the one who gave birth, you know"
A humorous assertion of credit; the -거든 ending signals the speaker is correcting or countering something just said.
🗣 A parent, partner, or close friend can say this to correct someone in a fun, joking way — it works best between people who are very comfortable with each other.
그 레시피 내가 만든 거거든? 누가 먼저 만들었는지 알지?
That recipe is mine, you know — you know who came up with it first, right?
Grammar Patterns
-아/어야지
Self-directed obligation / agreeable resolve
Attached to a verb stem, -아/어야지 expresses that something ought to be done, either as a personal resolution ('I really should…') or as enthusiastic agreement with someone else's suggestion ('yes, of course we should!'). In conversation it sounds warmer and less stiff than -아/어야 한다.
Practice sentences
이제 슬슬 집에 돌아가야지.
I really should start heading home now.
오랜만에 만나는 건데 맛있는 거 먹어야지.
It's been a while since we've seen each other, so of course we should eat something good.
열심히 준비했으니까 잘 해야지.
You prepared so hard, so you've got to do well.
💡 Don't confuse -아/어야지 (soft resolution/agreement) with -아/어야 해 (stronger necessity). -야지 at the end of a sentence can also invite the listener to agree, like a tag.
-때문에
Stating a reason or cause
-때문에 follows a noun or a nominalized clause to explain the cause or reason for a situation. It is neutral in formality and extremely common in everyday Korean when assigning blame, credit, or simple causation.
Practice sentences
비 때문에 소풍이 취소됐어.
The picnic was cancelled because of the rain.
네 덕분인지 네 때문인지 모르겠지만, 결국 잘 됐잖아.
I'm not sure if it's thanks to you or because of you, but it worked out in the end.
피곤함 때문에 일찍 잠들어 버렸어.
I fell asleep early because of exhaustion.
💡 Use -때문에 for neutral or negative causes; use -덕분에 when the cause is something positive you are grateful for. Mixing these up changes the nuance significantly.
-는 거 아니야?
Seeking confirmation / gentle challenge
This pattern turns a statement into a rhetorical or checking question: 'Isn't it the case that…?' or 'Aren't you doing…?' It can gently challenge someone's motive or action, or simply seek confirmation with a slightly suspicious or knowing tone.
Practice sentences
너 지금 나한테 화난 거 아니야?
You're not angry at me right now, are you?
이거 나 주려고 일부러 사 온 거 아니야?
Isn't it that you bought this on purpose to give to me?
걔가 상 탈 거라고 이미 알고 있었던 거 아니야?
Didn't you already know that they were going to win the prize?
💡 The verb before -는 거 아니야 should be in the present tense stem form; for past events use -은/ㄴ 거 아니야. Adding 설마 at the start raises the disbelief level: 설마 그런 거 아니야?
Shadow Drills
Listen · Repeat · Reveal · Repeat again. Match the rhythm and intonation of the Korean line.
01
동생이 미술 대회에서 은상 받았어!
My younger sibling won a silver prize at an art competition!
💡 Practise the excited rising intonation on 은상 받았어; keep the final 어 short and punchy to convey the burst of happy news.
02
이번 주말에 시간 좀 내서 같이 밥 먹어야지.
We really should make a little time this weekend and eat together.
💡 Focus on the natural linking of 내서 into 같이 without a pause; practise the resolve/agreement tone on the final -야지.
03
그게 내가 만든 거거든? 아니거든?
That's mine, actually — you've got that wrong!
💡 Practise the teasing, slightly indignant rise on -거든; don't let it sound angry — it should feel playful.
04
너 나한테 잘 보이려고 그러는 거 아니야?
Isn't it that you're doing that to impress me?
💡 Nail the rhythm of -는 거 아니야: the 거 is unstressed and the question rise lands on 아니야 at the end.
05
훌륭한 딸 두셨으니까 자랑스러우시겠어요.
You must be so proud to have raised such a wonderful daughter.
💡 Notice the honorific 두셨으니까; practise the smooth transition without swallowing the 셨 syllable.
06
피곤함 때문에 약속을 못 지켰어, 미안해.
I couldn't keep the promise because of exhaustion — I'm sorry.
💡 Keep 때문에 fluid and two syllables; be careful not to insert a pause between the noun and 때문에.
07
이제 슬슬 집에 돌아가야지, 늦었잖아.
I really should head home soon — it's gotten late, you know.
💡 Practise the gentle self-directed tone on -야지 followed by the soft reasoning in 늦었잖아; both should sound relaxed, not urgent.
Cultural Notes
우리 vs. 내 for family members
Korean speakers routinely say 우리 아들 ('our son'), 우리 엄마 ('our mom'), or 우리 집 ('our house') even when referring to their own family members exclusively. This is not possessive confusion; it reflects a cultural value of collective identity within the family unit. Using 내 아들 instead sounds noticeably individualistic and can feel cold in emotional contexts.
Separated parents co-parenting in K-drama
Korean dramas frequently portray separated or divorcing couples who continue to celebrate their children's milestones together, reflecting a social norm that places the child's wellbeing and family harmony above adult conflict. Public separation still carries some stigma in Korean society, so scenes like this underline that 'good parenting' is demonstrated by showing up together for the child despite personal difficulties.
Academic competitions and children's achievement
수학 경시대회 (math olympiad/competition) is a prestigious event in Korean elementary and secondary education. Winning even a silver prize is treated as a major family achievement worthy of celebration. The intense focus on academic performance from an early age is a well-known feature of Korean educational culture, which is why the scene's emotional speech about valuing effort over results carries particular weight.
Gift-giving as social maneuvering
Yonghun's act of giving Yeonguk a health supplement while angling for an award nomination reflects the Korean social practice of 선물 (gift-giving) as a way to build 정 (relational warmth) or seek favor. The humor lands precisely because Yeonguk sees through it immediately, and calling out the scheme openly is a sign of the close, candid friendship the two share.