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Vanessa: Episode #1: 저는 한국 드라마를 정말 좋아해요.
Chris: Episode #1: I like Korean dramas so much.
Chris: Do you like to watch Korean dramas? What about you, Vanessa?
Vanessa: I love Korean dramas. It’s not because I’m Korean. I have loved it since I was very young.
Chris: What are some dramas you watched recently?
Vanessa: For me, the good one I’d recommend is definitely (사랑의 불시착) Crash Landing on you if you are crazy about romantic comedy genre and also recommend (스위트홈) Sweet home if you like thrillers or suspense
Chris: Oh yeah. Actually, I don’t watch Korean dramas very often like you, but you know what I did enjoy watching Sweet Home. Not only did it have amazing computer graphics, but the storyline was also fresh as it used philosophical perspectives on people’s desires. I also liked Kingdom on Netflix which used the storyline of the Chosun dynasty in Korea where I was able to learn about culture, customs, social hierarchy and some Korean history while watching zombie-themed drama.
Vanessa: Oh I agree. It has a well-organized story, and complex characters 그리고 좀비가 정말 빨라요. and also zombies are super fast. 그러니 심장 약하신 분들은 보지 마세요. So I would not recommend it for those who have weak hearts. 처음엔 저도 너무 무서워서 거의 못 봤어요. At first, I was barely able to watch it.
Chris: Right right. I remember you ran out of the room a couple of times and came back and watched it while covering your eyes. Do you even remember some scenes?
Vanessa: I do! 몇 장면은 조금 기억나요! I remember some parts a little bit. lol All right. So we talked about what we like about Korean drama. So what I prepared for today is the expression 좋아해요. which means “to like”. It’s a simple expression but the thing is you can’t just simply think that 좋아해요 can substitute for every expression that is used to like in English
Chris: Oh really? What do you mean?
Vanessa: In English, “to like” is used to express that I like a subject like a person, thing etc., also it is used to agree with statements or compliment things.
Chris: Could you explain a bit more? I am still a bit confused about 좋아해요.
Vanessa: Those who speak English as their first language may not realize that sometimes when saying I like your dog, for example, it may have different meanings. If someone has seen your puppy for a long time, the like can be used to show affection, and love for your puppy. But When a stranger says, “I like your dog”, it could mean a compliment, agreement, or affirmation that the puppy is cute and cool.
Chris: Oh, I never thought of it that way. I kind of gets what you are saying, but I can’t fully grasp the meaning of 좋아해요.
Vanessa: Yes. When speaking in our native language, we speak without defining every word. However, after listening to this concept today, it will be easier to distinguish if you recall your thoughts every time you speak. In the case of Korean, these two interpretations are separated by using different expressions.
When you speak Korean, if you use a literal translation to say “I like your dog” to express compliment or agreement, it would be translated as “저는 당신 강아지 정말 좋아해요” “I truly like your dog.” This sentence can be awkward when native Korean speakers hear it. They would wonder if this first-timer ever saw my dog in other places without me knowing it? Or how does this stranger know about my dog? So, if you say 좋아해요, it is an expression that describes a certain degree of affection for an object that you have already experienced several times.
Chris: Very interesting. Could you give some example of To like “좋아해요”?
Vanessa: It’s a common expression, but sometimes it has different nuances. For example, 저는 수박을 좋아해요. I like watermelon. This clearly conveys that I am the kind of person who likes watermelon in general.
However, when you want to mean affirmation, praise or agreement, it’s much better to just describe the subject in detail. In case of “I like your dog”, you can simply say “강아지가 정말 귀여워요. Your dog is so cute” or in the case of “I like that idea,” the verb to like 좋아하다 (dictionary form) / 좋아해요 (conjugated form of the present tense) in Korean is not used either. Instead, the verb 좋다 (dictionary form) / 좋아요 (conjugated form of the present tense) is used. For example, 그 아이디어 정말 좋아요 means That idea is really good.
Chris: So, the “to like/ 좋아해요” in Korean is separate between expression of feelings of liking and the expression of affirmation and agreement of consent.
Vanessa: 네. 맞아요. Yes. that’s right. Then Chris, now shall we listen and practice to example dialogues for these two cases?
Chris: All right! Let’s go!
Vanessa: 어제 밤에 넷플릭스에서 한국 드라마 봤어요. Last night I watched a Korean drama on Netflix
Chris: 오! 정말요? 제목이 뭐예요? Oh, really? what’s the title?
Vanessa제목은 사랑의 불시착이에요. 크리스도 한국 드라마 봐요? It’s called Crash landing on you. Chris, do you also watch Korean dramas?
Chris: 네. 저는 한국 드라마를 정말 좋아해요. Yes. I like Korean drama so much.
Vanessa: 어제 한국어 스터디 카페에서 새로운 친구들 만났어요. Yesterday I met new friends at the Korean study cafe
Chris: 오! 정말요? 어땠어요? Oh really? How were they?
Vanessa: 다들 좋은 분들이에요. They were awesome. (I like them)
