Learning Korean Through K-Pops: Winter Sonata (By: Popo)

Dear readers…

Don’t you feel a bit lonely and empty with the cold wind blowing? I feel a bit empty and wish for something warm. I will introduce a love story that will warm up your hearts. It’s a drama series that you think sbout in the winter. Let’s take a look at “Winter Sonata”, a story based in winter.

“Winter Sonata” talks about the unchanging first love despite the fast changing society. It starts with Yujin, Junsang, and Sanghyeok in their high school years. Yujin is a vibrant character, and Junsang is more melancholy. 

The two of them fall in love only to end tragically, Yujin is engaged to Sanghyeok 10 years later, but when Junsang reappears having lost all of his memory, the two of them fall in love again.

“Winter Sonata” has brought back memories of people’s first love, and was broadcast in many nations, bringing recognition in Korean dramas. Many great actors and scenes were featured in “Winter Sonata”, but the love between Yujin and Junsang was very sad. Yujin and Junsang promise to meet again, but they were never get chance. Through “Winter Sonata”, let’s find out how to make promise in Korean. When a man who looks like Yujin’s first love appears, Sanghyeok becomes nervous. Since it’s a sad love story, the word “promise’ appears many times in “Winter Sonata”.

When you make an appointment, about what to do in the future, it called “Yakssok (약속)”. You can make a promise by linking your pinkie fingers.

Do you make promise often? You make promise to your friends and you lovers. You can use “Yakssok (약속)” with the other words.

If you set a time for an appointment, it’s called “Yakssok sigan (약속 시간)”.

If you set a place for an appointment, it’s called “Yakssok jangso (약속 장소)”.

The act of making an appointment is called “Yakssokada (약속하다)”.

If you’ve already made a appointment, you can say “Yakssokaetta (약속했다)”.

Dongsaenggwa yakssokaetta. 동생과약속했다 = Brother and promised.

Chinguwa yakssokaetta. 징구와약속했다 = Friends and promised.

Mannagiro yakssokaetta. 만나기로약속했다 = Promised to meet.

These are some examples.

But an appointment can be made only with another party. When Sanghyeok and Junsang asked Yujin for a favor, what did they say?

They say “Yakssokaejwo (다속해죄)”.

Yujin and Junsang was promised to meet on December 31^st, but they were unable to meet because Junsang was in a car accident.

Making appointment is important, but whether you can keep the promise is also important. So how can you express words when you keep a promise and when you cannot? Yujin suggests making a promise and confirms it once more.

“Yakssogeul jikida (약속을 지키다)” means to execute a promise after making a promise. “Jikida (지키다)” means to execute a promise, law, or rules in the way that they were promised in advance. When you say “Yakssoegeul jikida (약속을 지키다)” it means you carry out a promise.  

But if you’re unable to keep a promise, you can say “Motjikida (못지키다)”. “Yakssogeul motjikida (약속을 못지키다)”. To be more specific, “Yaksseogeul motjikida (약속을 못지키다)” is when you’re unable to keep a promise.

But if you broke off the appointment on purpose, you should say “Yaksseogeul an jikida (약속을 안 지키다)”.

The difference is “Mot (못)” and “An (안)”.

For example, if you couldn’t make on time for a 3 o’clock appointment, you can use “Mot jjikyeotda” because you couldn’t go for a certain reason.

But if you didn’t go for the meeting because you didn’t want to go, you can use “An jjikyeotda” because you weren’t there on purpose.

When you’re making an appointment with someone, say “Yakssokada (약속하다)”.

If you execute your appointment, say “Yaksseogeul jikida (약속을 지키다)”.

If you are unable to keep your promise, say “Yaksseogeul motjjikida (약속을 못지키다)”.

If you break the promise on purpose, say “Yakssogeul an jikida (약속을 안 지키다)”.

“Winter Sonata” gained popularity in Korea and all over the world. It created a great sensation outside of the series. Both Chuncheon and Nami island the locations of filming became famous and all of the actors in the drama became the top star.

Bae Yongjoon took an two roles as Junsang and Minhyeong. 

His hair style became popular, and his outfits were sold out attracting great attention. He became the top star of Korea after filming “Winter Sonata”. Recently, he set up a production company, and started to plan and produce new TV dramas. He is also producing many new actors.

In “Winter Sonata”, Choi Jiwoo played the role of a very innocent character, Yujin. 

She also became a top star. She’s currently filming a TV series secretly in China. Let’s look forward to what her new role will be like.

We’ve learned expression about promise through “Winter Sonata”. Do you think you’ll be able to remember them for a long time? Let’s review the expression once more time.

When you’re making an appointment with someone, say “Yakssokada (약속하다)”.

If you execute your appointment, say “Yaksseogeul jikida (약속을 지키다)”.

If you are unable to keep your promise, say “Yaksseogeul motjjikida (약속을 못지키다)”.

If you break the promise on purpose, say “Yakssogeul an jikida (약속을 안 지키다)”.

Let’s meet again next time.

Everyone, yakssok!

(cr: Deugeundeugeun Hangukeo KBS World)