Vocabulary
부담
noun
Beginner
burden, pressure, sense of obligation
emotions romance
선물이니까 부담 갖지 마세요.
It's a gift, so please don't feel obligated.
잡히다
verb
Beginner
to be caught, to be arrested (passive of 잡다)
community emotions
그 학생은 시위 중에 경찰한테 잡혀갔어요.
That student was taken by police during the protest.
갚다
verb
Beginner
to pay back, to repay (a debt or favor)
romance community
빌린 돈은 꼭 갚을게요.
I will definitely pay back the money I borrowed.
헤어지다
verb
Beginner
to part ways, to separate (from a group or person)
romance community
친구들이랑 일찍 헤어져서 혼자 집에 왔어요.
I parted ways with my friends early and came home alone.
빚
noun
Beginner
debt, something owed
romance emotions
저는 빚이 있으면 마음이 불편해요.
I feel uncomfortable when I have debt.
반하다
verb
Intermediate
to fall for someone, to be smitten (often at first sight)
romance emotions
그 사람한테 처음 보는 순간 반해 버렸어요.
I fell for that person the moment I saw them for the first time.
데모
noun
Intermediate
protest, demonstration (loanword from 'demonstration')
community
그 시절에는 대학생들이 자주 데모에 참여했어요.
In those days, university students often participated in protests.
울먹이다
verb
Intermediate
to be on the verge of tears, to sob softly
emotions
그 소식을 듣고 그녀가 울먹였어요.
After hearing the news, she was on the verge of tears.
구시렁거리다
verb
Intermediate
to grumble, to mutter complaints under one's breath
emotions
불만이 있으면 구시렁거리지 말고 직접 말해요.
If you have a complaint, please say it directly instead of grumbling.
수줍다
adjective
Intermediate
shy, bashful, coy
romance emotions
그 사람은 좋아하는 사람 앞에서 수줍어해요.
That person gets shy in front of the one they like.
당황하다
verb
Intermediate
to be flustered, to be taken aback, to be caught off guard
emotions
갑자기 질문을 받아서 많이 당황했어요.
I was quite flustered because I was asked a question out of the blue.
떨리다
verb
Intermediate
to tremble, to shake (from fear, nervousness, or excitement)
emotions romance
처음 발표할 때 목소리가 많이 떨렸어요.
My voice trembled a lot when I presented for the first time.
백골단
noun
Advanced
plainclothes riot police (lit. 'white bone unit'), notorious for brutally suppressing student protests in 1980s Korea
community
백골단은 1980년대 대학가 시위를 탄압하던 사복 경찰이에요.
The Baekgoldan were plainclothes police who suppressed university protests in the 1980s.
짭새
noun
Advanced
slang for police officer (derogatory, colloquial); 'cop'
community
시위대 사이에서 짭새들이 몰려온다는 소문이 돌았어요.
A rumor spread among the protesters that the cops were coming.
탄압
noun
Advanced
suppression, crackdown (by authority on civilians or dissidents)
community
그 시대에는 민주화 운동에 대한 탄압이 심했어요.
In that era, the suppression of the democracy movement was severe.
Key Expressions
Deflecting with a vague excuse
좀 바빠서요
"I'm a bit busy, so (that's why)…"
Used to give a polite but deliberately vague reason for not doing something, without elaborating. The trailing '요' keeps it polite while the incompleteness signals the speaker doesn't want to explain further.
오늘 모임에 못 가요, 제가 좀 바빠서요.
I can't make it to the gathering today—I'm a bit busy, so…
Revealing personal character / explaining oneself
빚지고는 못 사는 사람이거든요
"I'm a person who cannot live while in debt, you see."
Uses -거든요 to provide an explanation or background about oneself that the listener didn't know. This expression reveals character and justifies the speaker's behavior.
저는 약속을 어기고는 못 사는 사람이거든요.
I'm someone who can't live with breaking a promise, you see.
배우 해도 되겠던데요?
"It seems like you could even be an actor, doesn't it?"
A teasing compliment that softens tension after an emotionally charged moment. The -겠던데요 form reflects the speaker's impression based on what they just witnessed.
연기력이 대단한데요, 배우 해도 되겠던데요?
Your acting is impressive—it seems like you could even be an actor.
Making a romantic or emotional proposal
첫눈에 반한다는 말이 뭔가 했거든?
"I used to wonder what it meant to fall in love at first sight, you know?"
A deeply personal admission using -거든 (casual register in inner monologue) and -다는 말이 to frame an expression she had heard but never understood—until now. Used to confess an emotional realization.
설레다는 말이 뭔가 했거든요, 이제 알 것 같아요.
I used to wonder what it meant to feel butterflies, you see—now I think I understand.
Grammar Patterns
-거든요
Background explanation / 'you see'
Attached to a verb or adjective stem, -거든요 provides new background information that explains or justifies something the speaker just said or did. It signals 'let me tell you the reason' and often carries a slightly defensive or confiding tone. It is distinct from -니까 in that it gives context for the listener's benefit, not a logical cause-effect.
Practice sentences
오늘 좀 늦을 것 같아요, 버스를 잘못 탔거든요.
I think I'll be a bit late today—I took the wrong bus, you see.
그 영화 안 봤어요, 무서운 거 못 보는 편이거든요.
I haven't seen that movie—I tend not to be able to watch scary things, you see.
💡 Don't confuse with -니까 (causal reasoning); -거든요 is about providing context or a confession, not a logical argument.
-(으)ㄹ 테니까
Promise/intention as a condition for a request
This pattern combines -(으)ㄹ 테다 (the speaker's strong intention or confident supposition) with -니까 (reason/basis). The speaker states what they will do, then uses that as the grounds for asking something of the listener. It is frequently used to make proposals, bargains, or invitations where the speaker offers something first.
Practice sentences
제가 준비할 테니까 편하게 오세요.
I'll take care of the preparations, so come comfortably.
기다릴 테니까 천천히 오세요.
I'll be waiting, so take your time.
💡 The subject of -(으)ㄹ 테니까 must be the speaker (first person); if the subject is third-person or unknown, use -(으)니까 alone.
-고는 못 사는
Cannot live with/without (idiomatic)
This idiomatic pattern [verb stem + -고는 못 살다] means 'cannot live while doing / being in [that state].' It expresses that a situation is deeply incompatible with the speaker's nature or values—almost like a personal law. It is emphatic and often used to reveal character or strong personal principles.
Practice sentences
저는 거짓말하고는 못 사는 사람이에요.
I'm a person who cannot live while telling lies.
그분은 일하지 않고는 못 사는 분이에요.
That person is someone who cannot live without working.
💡 This is fixed as -고는 못 살다; do not substitute -지 않고는 못 살다 without understanding that the second form emphasizes the negative condition more strongly.
Cultural Notes
백골단: Plainclothes Riot Police in 1980s Korea
The 백골단 (Baekgoldan, lit. 'white skeleton unit') were notorious plainclothes police deployed to suppress student pro-democracy protests in South Korea during the late 1980s. They were feared for their aggressive tactics and ability to blend into crowds. Scenes involving them—like Soo-ho being checked for his student ID—reflect genuine historical terror that university students faced during this period.
찬물도 순서가 있지: Respecting social order
The expression '찬물도 순서가 있다' literally means 'even cold water has an order.' It is a proverb reminding someone to follow proper sequence or social protocol rather than rushing ahead. In this scene, it is playfully directed at Young-ro for acting impulsively, reflecting the Korean cultural value of observing hierarchy and proper order even in small matters.
다방 (茶房) Culture
A 다방 (tearoom or coffee house) was a central fixture of Korean social life in the 1980s, functioning as a meeting place for dates, business dealings, and everyday socializing long before modern cafés became prevalent. Young-ro's choice of '로마다방' as the meeting spot is culturally authentic—specifying a tearoom was the standard way to arrange a rendezvous in this era.
첫눈에 반하다: Love at First Sight
'첫눈에 반하다' means 'to fall for someone at first sight,' with 첫눈 meaning 'first sight/glance' and 반하다 meaning 'to be struck with admiration or love.' This phrase is a cornerstone of Korean romantic vocabulary and frequently appears in dramas and literature. Young-ro's use of it in self-reflection—wondering what it meant until this moment—is a classic K-drama device to signal the moment a romantic feeling is recognized.