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things they say

“Eotteokhae” (어떡해) — not a question, despite appearances

September 26, 2026September 25, 2026 by mataXinfo
어떡해 (eotteokhae) word card

Subtitles write “what should I do?” and turn a wail into a request for advice. It also doubles as a squeal at something too cute to handle.

Categories Things They Say Tags eotteokhae, exclamations, subtitles, things they say Leave a comment

“Bap meogeosseo?” (밥 먹었어?) — not really a question about food

September 24, 2026September 22, 2026 by mataXinfo
밥 먹었어? (bap meogeosseo?) word card

It sits in the slot English fills with “how are you”. Which is why a character can burst into tears when a parent asks it over the phone.

Categories Things They Say Tags bap meogeosseo, food, greetings, things they say Leave a comment

“Gwaenchanayo” (괜찮아요) — it also means “no thank you”

September 24, 2026September 21, 2026 by mataXinfo
괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo) word card

The subtitle says “It’s okay” and the character has just declined. If someone offers you something and you actually want it, this is the one word not to say.

Categories Things They Say Tags gwaenchanayo, politeness, refusal, things they say Leave a comment

“Jal meokgetseumnida” (잘 먹겠습니다) — not “bon appétit”

September 24, 2026September 21, 2026 by mataXinfo
잘 먹겠습니다 (jal meokgetseumnida) word card

It is a thank-you disguised as a statement about yourself, and it is aimed at whoever is feeding you. Say it to a waiter and it lands wrong.

Categories Things They Say Tags etiquette, food, jal meokgetseumnida, things they say Leave a comment

What this is

Korean words, honorifics and lines that subtitles cannot carry across. One word per article: what it means, what the subtitle says, and what got dropped.

How these are written →

Start here

  • Gosaenghaesseo — not "good job"
  • Jeong — attachment you did not choose
  • Why she calls him Oppa
  • Ani — the word that is not "no"

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  • Honorifics & Titles (18)
  • Slang & Internet Korean (18)
  • Subtitle Notes (16)
  • Things They Say (20)
  • Untranslatable Words (19)

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