How to say DOPE in Korean

April 6, 2016

When you see something dope/sick/awesome, you say it is 쩔어 (jjuhruh). The word was largely used in Incheon years ago, but has spread to other parts of Korea. Thanks to Big Bang and BTS, 쩔어 (jjuhruh) has made its mark in Kpop, further popularizing its usage. While 쩔어 is more accurately Romanized as "jjuhruh," Big Bang--specifically GD and TOP--created a stylish Romanization: ZUTTER. Check out their music video, which is 쩔어:

In GD and TOP’s music video, they say: 내가 좀 쩔어 (Naega jom jjuhruh), which translates to “I’m a little dope.”

쩔어 is both a positive and negative word. Depending on how you say it, you can portray enthusiasm or disgust. It's like how we use the word "sick" in the States. If someone is wearing cool shoes, we might say, "Oohhh! Those shoes are so sick, bro!" However if we see something gross, such as a bloody horror film, we may say, "Ew. That movie is sick. Makes me want to puke."

Here's an example of when 쩔어 can be used in a positive and negative situation. Let's say you eat a delicious plate of kimchi. You can exclaim with excitement:

이 김치 쩔어!
Ee kimchi jjuhruh!
This kimchi is amazing!

However if the kimchi tastes nasty, you can say the same phrase with a displeased face.

Here are some more examples of when you can use 쩔어.

You see a hot guy with a six pack:
저 남자봐. 쩔어!
Juh namjabwa. Jjuhruh!
Look at that guy. He’s dope!

You see a really stylish girl:
저 여자 쩔어!
Juh yuhja jjuhruh!
That girl is dope!

CL releases her new music video and it is dope:
와~ CL 쩔어!
Wah~ CL jjuhruh!
Wow~ CL is dope!

Oh dang, your bestie wore the coolest shirt ever:
스타일 쩔어!
Seu-ta-il jjuhruh!
Your style is dope!

You just finished reading the most badass book ever:
이책 좀 쩔어!
Ee-check jom jjuhruh!
This book is dope!

You won Cards of Humanity 7 times in a row. You’re so dope:
난 좀 쩔어!
Nan jom jjuhruh!
I’m just a little dope!

Pretty much anything and anyone can be 쩔어!

My mom goes clubbing with me and a young man dances with her:
우리 엄마 쩔어!
Oori umma jjuhruh!
My mom is dope!

Your friend sang amazingly at karaoke:
네 목소리 쩔어!
Nee moksori jjuhruh!
Your voice is dope!

Did you win EXO concert tickets with a backstage pass?
쩔어!
Jjuhruh!
Dope!

You can use 쩔어 as is all alone. Or you can add a noun in front of it.

___________ 쩔어!
___________ jjuhruh!
___________ is dope/sick/awesome!

이 노래 쩔어!
Ee norae jjuhruh!
This song is dope!

이 파티 쩔어!
Ee pa-tee jjuhruh!
This party is dope!

저 차 쩔어!
Juh cha jjuhruh!
That car is dope!

You can make 쩔어! formal by adding a YO at the end. 쩔어요.

쩔어 is also the title of a BTS track. They sing, “우린 머리부터 발끝까지 전부 다 쩌 쩔어," which means, "We’re so dope from head to toe."

Can you count how many times 쩔어 is sung in the music video below?

Hope you enjoyed this week's lesson. Tune in my YouTube channel next week to learn more!

How to say I MISS YOU in Korean

March 30, 2016

"I miss you" in Korean is 보고싶다 (bogoshipda). It can also mean "I want to see."

Another way to say "I miss you" is 보고싶어 (bogoshipuh). This is informal, so use it towards friends, those your age and younger than you, and to your sweetheart, of course. Here are some examples on how to use 보고싶어 (bogoshipuh):

당신, 보고싶어. 나 보고싶어?
Dangshin, bogoshipuh. Na bogoshipuh?
Honey, I miss you. Do you miss me?
(informal)

나도 너 보고싶어.
Nado nuh bogoshipuh.
I miss you, too.
(informal)

얼만큼 보고싶어?
Ulmankeum bogoshipuh?
How much do you miss me?
(informal)

보고싶어 (bogoshipuh) is used in Zion.T's "Eat" music video:

Make 보고싶어 (bogoshipuh) formal by adding 요 (yo) at the end: 보고싶어요 (bogoshipuhyo). Use the formal version towards those older than you. Couples who use formal language to one another will also use this version. Examples:

할머니, 보고싶어요.
Halmoni, bogoshipuhyo.
Grandma, I miss you.
(formal)

할아버지도 보고싶어요.
Harabuhjido bogoshipuhyo.
Grandpa, I miss you, too.
(formal)

가족 다 보고싶어요.
Gajok da bogoshipuhyo.
I miss the whole family.
(formal)

Listen for 보고싶어요 (bogoshipuhyo) in Gummy's "I'm Sorry" music video. It features T.O.P. from Big Bang:

Remember, 보고싶어 (bogoshipuh) also means "I want to see," so it can be applied to non-human things.

너 춤추는거 보고싶어!
Nuh choom-choo-neun-guh bogoshipuh!
I want to see you dance!
(informal)

에펠 탑을 보고싶어.
Ehpel tahpeul bogoshipuh.
I want to see the Eiffel Tower.
(informal)

쌍무지개도 보고싶어!
Ssangmoojigaedo bogoshipuh!
I also want to see a double rainbow!
(informal)

무슨 영화 보고싶어?
Mooseun younghwa bogoshipuh?
Which movie do you want to see?
(informal)

난 "캐리비안의 해적” 보고싶어.
Nan “Kaeribianui haejuck” bogoshipuh.
I want to see “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
(informal)

What if you don’t miss someone or don’t want to see them?

남친 보고싶지 않니?
Namchin bogoshipji ahnni?
Don’t you want to see your boyfriend?
(informal)

보고싶지 않아.
Bogoshipji ahnna.
I don’t want to see him.
(informal)

왜 안 보고싶어?
Wae ahn bogoshipuh?
Why don’t you want to see him?
(informal)

그냥 안 보고싶어.
Geunyang ahn bogoshipuh.
I just don’t want to see him.
(informal)

아, 너희들 싸웠어?
Ah, nuhhuideul ssawussuh?
Ah, did you guys fight?
(informal)

The very formal and rarely used version of I MISS YOU is 보고싶습니다.

The cutesy aegyo way to say “I miss you” is: 보고싶어용 (bogoshipuhyong). 용 (yong) is placed at the end of a phrase to make things sound cutesy. Another aegyo way to say I MISS YOU is 보고파 (bogopa). Which almost sounds like 배고파 (baegopa/I’m hungry.). 보고파 (bogopa) is the title of Kpop songs by BTOB and Tiny-J (see below).

In Tiny-J’s song, they pronounce "bogopah" as "bogofah" with an F to sound super duper cute. I recommend you don’t overuse the cute versions. Every once in a while can be fun. Use it too much and people around you may cringe!

The more poetic way to say “I miss you” is 그리워 (geuriwo). Use this phrase when talking about a non-living thing or memory. 그리워 (geuriwo) is informal. Add 요 (yo) at the end to make it formal. Add a subject in front of this phrase to be specific of what you're missing. Examples:

한국이 그리워요.
Hangookee geuriwoyo.
I miss Korea.
(formal)

캘리포니아가 그리워요.
Kel-lee-po-ni-ah-ga geuriwoyo.
I miss California.
(formal)

대학 시절이 그리워요.
Daehak shijuhlee geuriwoyo.
I miss those college days.
(formal)

Hope you enjoyed this week's Korean lesson. Tune in on my YouTube channel next Wednesday for more educational goodies!

ps: When I hear the word 보고싶다 (bogoshipda), I often think of Kim Bum Soo's famous song. My Korean friends still sing it at karaoke even though the tune was released in 2003. That's well over ten years ago! Classic. Here's the song:

Ginseng Chicken Soup at SGD Tofu House

March 15, 2016

Sam-gye-tang. Ginseng chicken soup. Koreans typically eat this on the hottest of summer days. It's thought that as the heat wears you out, samgyetang would re-energize you. Me personally, I prefer consuming it on rainy evenings. As the sun sets, darkness blankets across the horizon. The world feels cold and unwelcoming, but a bubbling pot of samgyetang in your stomach will make everything feel like family.

Open for seventeen years as of 2016, it is said SGD Tofu House is the first soondubu shop to open in Santa Clara's Koreatown. Since its establishment other branches have opened in NorCal. They are known for their tofu soup as it suggests in their name. They also offer savory pancakes, bibimbap, and barbecue.

What does SGD stand for? In Singapore, those letters stand for "Singapore Dollar." However if you google it, the first link that pops up is "Saccharomyces Genome Database." In our situation, SGD means "So Gong Dong," a business district in Seoul, South Korea. Sogongdong is near the Deoksugung Palace and Gwanghwamun Square. I once went to a samgyetang shop there once. They served ginseng wine with the soup. Samgyetang and alcohol in the stomach = drunk chicken.

Common banchan of seasoned sprouts, japchae, kimchi, and fishcakes.

Upon ordering, out comes a set of complimentary banchan (side dishes). A common occurrence at traditional Korean eateries.

Up close and personal with Napa Cabbage Kimchi.

Their Napa Cabbage Kimchi is not sweet, which is a big deal. A huge deal. Many Korean restaurants around here make sweet kimchi, so I appreciate SGD for keeping it authentic.

The Seasoned Sprout is sesame-oily, making it my favorite side dish of this meal. The Japchae is lightly seasoned. If you're health-conscious, it's the type of flavor you wouldn't mind eating on a daily basis. The Fishcake also falls in the same category. The Seasoned Seaweed is spunky with its sweet and sour. The Water Kimchi (dyed pink with beet, I believe) is delightfully refreshing. It's ideal for a spring and summer day, but can be equally enjoyed during cold weather.

Of all the banchan, my favorite is the Seasoned Sprout and Water Kimchi.

My mother gets her boiling bowl of mushroom soodubu, which looks more bold than it tastes. The bright red color makes it appear so spicy. I try a spoonful, expecting my ears to tingle. My eyes hyped my taste buds up. The tofu soup is actually quite bland. That famous quote runs through my head: never judge a book by its cover! One can't help but judge, so be prepared for surprise.

Inside the standard samgyetang contains white rice and garlic. In my bowl there is five or six cloves! I lost count. There might've been more. As expected, the meat falls right off the bones. The bones, you can bite into and break apart as well. Watch out for those pieces of ginseng. If you are curious, have a bite. Discover how bitter it is. If you're having a bad day, take a bite of ginseng. More likely than not, your day is probably less bitter than ginseng.

Water in stone bowl of rice to be enjoyed later.

The rice comes in a stone bowl. Your server will scoop it out into smaller individual bowls. Water is poured into the stone bowl and later you shall enjoy what is to be burnt rice. In our case, the rice wasn't burnt at all. If burnt, the rice and water mixture will taste toasty.

My mother and I dined on an early Friday night. By the time we left, SGD Tofu House was filled with families--mostly parents with young children. After paying your bill, grab a candy for the road.