[Korean Culture & Language] Fixing the barn only after you’ve lost the cow

Hello, this is Uptempo Marketers!


The expression ‘Lock the barn/stable door after the horse has bolted/is stolen’ refers to a situation where one takes precautions only after the damage has been done. ‘소 잃고 외양간 고친다 (Mending the barn door only after one has lost their cow)’ is a Korean version of the idiom. 

소 means cow, and 외양간 means the barn/barn door.


Ex)

A: 형, 담배 끊는다고 하지 않았어?
Bro, you said you had stopped smoking. 

B: 아니. 다음달에 다시 시도 해보려고
Nope. I’m going to try it again next month.

A: 아버지 폐암으로 돌아가셨잖아. 소 잃고 외양간 고치지 말고, 오늘부터 그만 펴.
Dad passed away from lung cancer. You shouldn’t try to repair the barn door after you lose your cow. You should quit smoking today.


Some people took the idiom to the next level and made a cheesy meme. Below is one of the cheesiest memes:

source: @FeelsBdayMan


It reads, ’My barn door broke last night. My cow has left. I fixed the barn, but it hasn’t returned yet. I’m suffering, and I’m crying. I miss him. I miss him eating his fodder every morning. I miss you so much. You can take my life away. Please just come back.’


This meme makes me think of dramatic characters from TV shows.

Have you ever felt like you’ve fixed the barn only after you’ve lost the cow?


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