Guest Blog Post from Coco & Vivi of KDrama Fighting!
As summer heats up and K-drama fans make plans to visit Korea (we wish!), we thought it would be helpful for us to share some Korean phrases that you will need to know for when you run into those rich chaebols and heiresses during your visit. We all know, from watching K-dramas on Viki, that when you meet your love interest, there is a progression of emotions that you will feel. Here are five essential Korean phrases for each phase of your potential relationship.
Phase 1: “Hey, do you want to die?”
According to K-dramas, most romantic relationships don’t start off well. Usually, the male and female have a bad initial run-in with each other that results in mutual hatred. Sometimes this takes the form of violence and/or threats, as in “Boys Over Flowers” and “Protect the Boss.” In case this is how your relationship begins with your love interest, we recommend that you learn the Korean phrase for “Hey, do you want to die?”
Phase 2: “Stop appearing before my face!”
Oftentimes, the hatred between two characters evolves into a milder feeling of mutual annoyance. This usually occurs after the main couple has had several awkward encounters, such as in “Lie to Me.” In case this happens to you, we also recommend that you learn the Korean phase for “Stop appearing before my face!” Don’t worry, though; most likely, you will enter into some sort of agreement to fake a relationship that is mutually beneficial, which will then gradually ramp up your romantic interest in the other person.
Phase 3: “Now do you see me as a man/woman?”
Once you and your new Korean love interest have been tolerating each other for awhile, it’s time to take the next step by willfully invading the other person’s space and asking awkward questions. See “A Gentleman’s Dignity” as your guide to this move. Even though the obvious answer here is, “Am I blind? What kind of person could NOT see you as a man?” it is actually in your best interest to slide away coyly and feign disinterest — for now.
Phase 4: “I don’t have the confidence.”
All great Korean romances have absurd obstacles thrown in the way. Without them, it just wouldn’t be true love! At this point, the most advanced lovers think, “I know! The best way to deal with this problem is to totally cut off communication and give up on our relationship!” If you have seen anything with Park Shin Hye in it (“You’re Beautiful” or “Flower Boy Next Door,” for example), you know exactly what to do. Work those puppy eyes!
Phase 5: “I love you.”
If phase 4 makes you sad, don’t fret! It’s only a temporary ploy until you get to the final phase: complete and total bliss with the one you love! Just pray that you get a good kiss instead of one of those frozen ones. You’ve earned it!