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짬, 짬밥

🔹 Expression: 짬이 많다

Literal meaning: “To have a lot of 짬 (experience time).”

Figurative meaning: Someone has been in a certain field or group for a long time; they have seniority or experience.

짬 here refers to the accumulated time someone has spent doing something, originally used in the army to measure informal rank or “time-in.”

Example:

그 선임은 짬이 많아서 다들 말도 조심해. → "That senior has a lot of experience, so everyone watches what they say around him." Expression: 짬이 높다

Literal meaning: “To have high 짬.”

Figurative meaning: Similar to “짬이 많다,” but slightly more emphatic. It implies a high level of informal authority based on experience — even if not tied to formal rank or title.

Example:

이 바닥에서 짬이 높은 사람이 말하면 다들 따라야 해. → "When someone with high experience in this field speaks, everyone has to follow."

[hariibear]

짬, 짬밥

🔹 Expression: 짬이 많다

Literal meaning: “To have a lot of 짬 (experience time).”

Figurative meaning: Someone has been in a certain field or group for a long time; they have seniority or experience.

짬 here refers to the accumulated time someone has spent doing something, originally used in the army to measure informal rank or “time-in.”

Example:

그 선임은 짬이 많아서 다들 말도 조심해. → "That senior has a lot of experience, so everyone watches what they say around him." Expression: 짬이 높다

Literal meaning: “To have high 짬.”

Figurative meaning: Similar to “짬이 많다,” but slightly more emphatic. It implies a high level of informal authority based on experience — even if not tied to formal rank or title.

Example:

이 바닥에서 짬이 높은 사람이 말하면 다들 따라야 해. → "When someone with high experience in this field speaks, everyone has to follow."

[hariibear]

김성춘 / 연꽃의 노래

가만히 귀 기울이면 진흙을 밀고 물 위로 꽃송이 벙그는 소리 들린다

뜨거운 햇살 속으로 서풍 불어와 연잎을 흔들어도 어디선가 들려올 님의 목소리 기다린다

덧없이 흐르는 세월 애닲은 그리움이 달빛처럼 스며오는 날 나직히 노래하련다

이 세상에 와서 사랑하고 노래하고 그리고 또 무엇을 할까

삶의 질곡 굽어진 모퉁이마다 숨겨같은 노래를 지팡이 삼고 건너 창 틈에 스며드는 달빛에게 내 노래 들려주련다

[hariibear]

🌿 풍류 (風流)

Hanja:

風 (풍): wind, style, custom

流 (류): flow, stream, trend

風流 literally translates to “wind and flow” or “flowing like the wind.”

Together, they evoke the idea of graceful, refined, and carefree enjoyment, especially in relation to art, nature, and the pleasures of life.

In Korean, 풍류 goes beyond a literal translation. It refers to:

Refined artistic taste or appreciation of beauty (esp. in poetry, music, nature)

A free-spirited, elegant way of life — often connected to Korean traditional culture (like a scholar enjoying music, tea, and the mountains)

Aesthetic and leisurely enjoyment of life, in harmony with nature

It’s often associated with classical seonbi (선비) culture — the image of the cultured, virtuous scholar who lives simply but appreciates deep beauty and the arts.

💬 Example Usage

그는 참 풍류를 아는 사람이다. → He’s someone who truly understands the art of refined living.

고요한 산사에서 거문고 소리를 들으며 풍류를 즐겼다. → Enjoyed the elegant pleasures of life listening to the geomungo in a quiet mountain temple.

[hariibear]

Bad Moods

1. 심술 부리다 (심술: 心術)

Hanja:

心 (심): heart, mind

術 (술): technique, method, art, trick

Explanation: 心術 (심술) literally means “mental technique” or “heart trick,” but in Korean usage, it evolved to mean malice, ill will, or spite — i.e., a "twisted" or "scheming" mindset. When you say someone is 심술을 부리다, you're saying they're acting out of spite or jealousy — showing negative, petty emotions through actions.

Example:

아이가 동생을 질투해서 심술을 부렸다. → “The child acted out of jealousy toward their younger sibling.”

2. 심기가 불편하다 (심기: 心氣)

Hanja:

心 (심): heart, mind

氣 (기): energy, mood, spirit

Explanation:

心氣 (심기) refers to one’s mental state or mood — literally "heart-energy" or "emotional atmosphere."

So 심기가 불편하다 literally means “the heart/spirit energy is uncomfortable”, figuratively describing someone who is irritated, annoyed, or upset — though it’s often used politely or euphemistically.

Example:

상사의 심기가 불편해 보여서 분위기가 안 좋았다. → “The boss seemed irritated, and the mood was tense.”

3. 성깔 있다 / 승깔 있다 (성깔: from 性)

Hanja:

性 (성): nature, character, temperament

Explanation:

성깔 is a colloquial or dialectal word derived from 성질 (性質), where:

性 (성) = character or temperament

質 (질) = quality or nature

성질 = temperament/nature → 성깔 is a more casual, punchy form, often used to describe a fiery, assertive, or strong-willed personality.

The variant 승깔 is a pronunciation difference in some regional dialects.

Example:

그 사람은 성깔이 있어서 말싸움하면 절대 안 져. → “That person has a fiery temper — they never lose an argument.”

[hariibear]

Majors/Minors Vocab

전공이 뭐예요? - What’s your major?

전공 - major

전공하다 - to major in

부전공 - minor

부전공하다 - to minor in

저는 문화 지리학을 전공했고 언어학을 부전공했어요 - I majored in Cultural Geography and minored in Linguistics

문학 - Literature

동양학 - Asian Studies

음악 - Music

미술사 - Art History

예슬 - Art

극예술 - Dramatic Arts

무용 - Dance

언어학 - Linguistics

교육학 - Education

역사학 - History

문화학 - Cultural Studies

번역학 - Translation Studies

현대 언어학 - Modern Languages

인문학 - Humanities

사회학 - Social Sciences

대인 관계 - Interpersonal/Personal Relations

홍보 - Public Relations

신문 방송학 - Journalism (lit. Newspaper Broadcast)

국제 관계 - International Relations

정치학 - Political Science

지리학 - Geography

경제학 - Economics

물리학 - Physics

생물학 - Biology

천문학 - Astronomy

지질학 - Geology

화학 - Chemistry

간호학 - Nursing

기계 공학 - Mechanical Engineering

전기 공학 - Electrical Engineering

토목 공학 - Civil Engineering

화학 공학 - Chemical Engineering

건축학 - Architecture

법학 - Law

경영학 - Business

재무 - Finance

**I’ll edit this list as I remember/discover more majors. If you don’t see yours, shoot me a message and I’ll add it**

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Government and Politics Vocab

정치 | politics

정부 | government

태극기 | Korean flag

애국가 | Korean national anthem

헌법 | constitution

행정부 | the executive branch

대통령 | the president - serves one 5-yr term & elected by popular vote

청와대 | The Blue House (like The White House) - located in Seoul and where the president resides referred to because of the blue tiles on the roof

입법부 | the legislative branch 

국회 - the national assembly (like the senate and the house of representatives combined) - consists of 300 members who serve 4-yr terms & are at least 30 years old. duties consist of:

1) 정부 예산을 확인하다 | confirm the goverment budget

2) 헌법을 개정하다 | amend the constitution

3) 법을 가결하고 개정하다 | pass and amend laws

4) 조약을 비준하다 | ratify treaties

사법부 | the judicial branch - consists of:

최고 법원 | the supreme court - 1 chief justice and 13 associate justices appointed by the president

고등 법원 | high courts

지방 법원 | district courts

가정 법원 | family courts

특허법원 | patent courts

행정 법원 | administrative courts

정치안 | politician

투표하다 | to vote

선거 | election

총선 | general election

갬페인 | campaign

정당 | political party 

정치시위 | political protest

자본주의 | capitalism

사회주의 | socialism

공산주의 | communism

민주주의 | democracy

독재 | dictatorship

시장 | mayor

시청 | city hall

~

 Political Parties, listed by most to least current seats in National Assembly

더불어민주당 | Democratic Party of Korea (center-center left/social liberalism)

자유한국당 | Liberty Korea Party (center right-right wing/conservatism)

바른미래당 | Bareun Future Party (center-center right/centrism)

민주평화당 | Party for Democracy and Peace (center-left/liberalism)

정의당 | Justice Party (center left-left wing/social democracy)

민중당 | Minjung Party (left wing/left wing nationalism)

대한애국당 | Korean Patriotic Party (far right/pro Park Geun-hye *side eye*)

[hariibear]

combustion

연소

불타는 개를 본 적 있니

퇴근길 젖이 충만한 채 이 꿈을 태우고 있는

너는 창가에 앉아 불붙은 건물을 보며 사랑한다, 안한다, 중얼거린다

네가 벗은  붉은 스웨터 올올이 풀리고

사랑한다, 안 한다,

죽은 물성이 주인에게 버려진다

- 김소형, ㅅㅜㅍ

combustion

have you ever seen a burning dog

on your way home from work overfull with milk and burning this dream

you sit by the window  look at the burning building and mutter i love you, i do not,

the red sweater that you have taken off comes apart at the seams

i love you, i do not,

a dead materiality, abandoned to its owner

- by Kim So-hyeong, from f o r e s t 

[hariibear]

저녁에​ (In the Night)

저렇게 많은 중에서 별 하나가 나를 내려다본다 이렇게 많은 사람 중에서 그 별 하나를 쳐다본다 밤이 깊을수록 별은 밝음 속에 사라지고 나는 어둠 속에 사라진다 이렇게 정다운 너 하나 나 하나는 어디서 무엇이 되어 다시 만나랴

- 김광섭

Among a multitude of stars, one stares down at me. Among a multitude of people, I stare up at that one star. As the night grows deeper, it fades into brightness and I disappear into darkness. Where, when, as what will the two of us… you, one so warm, and me, one so tender, meet again?

- Kim Gwang-Seop

[hariibear]

Intermediate Korean: the Korean Education System (한국의 교육)

개학하다 to start a new semester

입학하다 to enter/enroll in a school

점수 score, points

평균 average

성적 results, grade

학년 year, grade

과목 subject

담임 home room teacher

성적 통지표 school report

구분 classification

중간고사 midterms/기말고사 finals

출석 attendance/결석 absence

지각 tardiness/조퇴 leave school early (take the rest of the school day off)

가정 통신문 school newsletter, notice for parents

교육 목표 goal of education

실력을 기르다 cultivate one's ability, hone one's skills

적성을 살리다 nuture one's aptitude

특기를 살리다 make the most of one's abilities

소질을 개발하다 to develop one's aptitude

자신감을 키우다 boost/develop self-confidence

창의력을 키우다 boost/develop one's creativity

사고력을 키우다 boost/develop one's thinking power

[hariibear]

Life as a Korean Student - Academic Grading System(9등급제)

Hi! This is Admin Yu. Today’s post will be on the academic grading system of high schools in Korea. I’m a Korean high school student so this topic is something I’m very familiar with.

9등급제 (9-rank system)

9등급제(9-rank system) is the academic grading system of high schools in Korea. The 9-rank system is a relative evaluation system. Students are given ranks from 1(1등급, Rank 1) to 9(9등급, Rank 9) based on students’ relative standing among all others who took the same class that semester.

In one semester, students take two big exams, 중간고사(midterm exam) and 기말고사(final exam), and do 수행평가(performance evaluation) for the classes they are taking. At the end of the semester, the scores of the two exams and performance evaluations are added up for the final score out of 100. Then the ranks are given out based on this score.

Top 4% of students are given 1등급(Rank 1), the next 7% 2등급, the next 12% 3등급, the next 17% 4등급, the next 20% 5등급, the next 17% 6등급, the next 12% 7등급, the next 7% 8등급, the next 4% 9등급. For example, if there are 100 students who take chemistry, the top 4 students will get Rank 1, the next 7 will get Rank 2, and so on.

등급컷(컷 is ‘cut’) refers to the minimum score that can get the rank. For example, if the 1등급컷 for chemistry was 95, the students who got 95 or over get Rank 1, and if the 2등급컷 was 90, students who got score below 95 but over 90 get Rank 2. ‘등급’ is often omitted, so you can say 1등급컷 or just 1컷.

You can see many students asking the teacher for 1컷 after exam is over. Although the real ranks are given by the final score, the exams are often regarded as the most decisive factors. So knowing the 1컷 of the exam score can give you a rough idea of your current position among other peers. 등급컷 of the exam can also tell us about the difficulty of the exam. If the 1컷 is very low, the exam can be regarded as very difficult.

Since only a few can get high ranks, a single mistake can sometimes be critical. Especially if the exam was easy. In schools where education fever is high, if the exam was too easy and too many students got 100, one mistake can drop your rank drastically. And if the number of students who got 100 exceeds the number of students who can get Rank 1, the ranking may start from Rank 2 or even 3. So it’s important to find the balance of difficulty of exams. If the midterm exam was too easy, the final exam is expected to be very hard to meet the difficulty balance.

The same 9-rank system applies to 수능(Korean SAT) as well. Students are given ranks relatively like the 9-rank system in high schools. However, to differentiate the scores, other things like standard score/Z score are used to evaluate the student. For example, 100 and 92 may be the same Rank 1 but their standard score would be different.

I hope this post helped you understand the grading system of high schools in Korea!

-Written and edited by Admin Yu

[hariibear]

Advanced Grammar: V느라고 V는데 (or V느라고 하는데)

"I do do V, but..." "Despite the fact that I..."

공부하느라고 하는데 성적이 안 느네요. I do study, but my grades aren't getting better.

자느라고 자는데 하루 종일 피곤해요. I do sleep, but I'm tired all day.

깨끗하게 하느라고 했는데 아직 좀 지저분하네. I did try hard to clean up, but it's still messy.

Note: some Koreans will tell you that the correct form of this is V노라고 V는데 because ~노라고 implies that the speaker has made an effort to do something. My teacher uses ~느라고 ~는데 and says it is correct though.

[hariibear]

Korean expression — 물귀신 작전

= (lit. water demon strategy) to go down and take everyone else down with you in the process

[hariibear]

Common words and expressions in the South Korean press (part 4)

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

폭풍이 몰아치다 for a storm to break out (often in a political/social context)

~에 영향을 미치다 to influence, have an effect on~

~의 __%를 차지하다 to make up __% of~

~을/를 거쳐 through~ (by means of~)

[hariibear]

Korean vocab / expression — 손꼽다

= to count on one's fingers, to wait eagerly for~

손꼽아 세다 to count with one's fingers

손꼽아 기다리다 (lit. to count on one's fingers and wait) to look forward to~, count down the days until~

연말 보너스를 손꼽아 기다리고 있어. (I am looking forward to the year-end bonus.)

몇 개월 동안 너무나도 손꼽아 기다리던 그 날이 왔습니다. (After months of eager anticipation, the day arrived.)

다섯 살 정도로 보이는 아이가 자신의 나이를 손꼽아 세고 있었다. (A boy who looked about 5 years old counted his age with his fingers.)

[hariibear]

Intermediate Korean Vocab: Movies (영화) and Dramas (드라마)

공포 horror

상영 시간 running time

관람 등급 movie rating (G, PG, R, 15+...)

줄거리 summary, synopsis

주연 lead role/조연 supporting role

개�� release

일일 연속극 daily soap opera (releases everyday from Monday to Friday)

미니 시리즈 mini series (releases 2 to 3 days per week)

주말 드라마 weekend drama (releases on Saturday and Sunday)

시청률이 높다 high viewer ratings

연기력이 뛰어나다 extraordinary acting skills

배경음악이 아름답다 beautiful background music

인기가 많다 to be popular

화제가 되다 to make headlines

배우가 멋있다 cool actor

줄거리가 흥미롭다 interesting summary

영상미가 뛰어나다 beautiful cinematography

[hariibear]

외모와 성격 2

얼굴

네모나다 square

동그랗다 round (유. 둥글다)

생김새 appearance

여드름 pimple

잘나다 good, smart, handsome (유. 잘생기다 – 반. 못생기다, 못나다)

전체

겉모습 appearance

날씬하다 slim (반. 뚱뚱하다)

단정하다 neat, tidy

공통

개성 individuality

깔끔하다 neat