[Korean Culture & Language] Bribing a King

Hello, this is Uptempo!


To what extent do you agree with the statements “Customers are always right” or ‘Customer is a King’? Koreans also say ‘소비자는/손님은 왕이다(A Consumer/Customer is a King)’.

Photo by Blake Wisz on Unsplash

Unfortunately, some customers abuse this statement and take it too far. Some clients are overly proud of themselves or hold the wrong belief that the company will fail if they do not support it. If a client is dissatisfied and becomes obnoxious, the responsibility may rest on the support staff. Some consumers are aware that they may receive an apology or even a reward from the company if they act rudely toward a customer service representative. Koreans call these obnoxious consumers ‘진상’.

The term ‘진상’ is made of the Chinese word ‘進上’.
進(진) means ‘to give’ or 'to bribe’
上(상) means ‘upper’ or ‘the king’.

Photo by Europeana on Unsplash

The term ‘진상’ was originally used to describe ‘the act of giving or bribing superiors with unique commodities or local delicacies to superiors.’ However, this term has taken on a negative connotation as a result of the horrors of the truth, with ordinary people finding it difficult to gift rare and expensive goods to Kings or superiors. They were also supposed to offer the Kings rather than the other authorities finer gifts. However, because the officials are more directly related to their real-life lives and can provide them with real-life benefits, they end up bribing authorities with nicer commodities than they give the Kings. 

These days, Koreans use this term to say ‘진상을 부리다(being picky/obnoxious),’ ‘진상 손님(obnoxious/rude customer),’ or simply ‘진상(picky, fussy)’.'

Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash

Ex)
A: 저기요, 제 음료에 머리카락이 있어요. 무료로 새로 음료 주세요.
Hey waiter, There’s hair in my drink. You should offer me a complimentary drink.
B: 그거 네 머리카락이야. 떨어지는 거 내가 봤어.
Hey, it’s your hair. I saw it falling in.
A: 어쨌든 컴플레인 걸거야. 저기요, 오신 김에 맥주도 더 주세요.
I’m going to complain anyway. Hey, since you’re already here, bring me more beer, too.
B: 너 완전 진상이다.
You’re being so obnoxious.

댓글

댓글 쓰기

이 블로그의 인기 게시물

[Korean Culture & Language] Impulsiveness and MBTI

이미지
Hello, this is Uptempo! The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) has become increasingly popular in Korea in 2020, owing to people’s boredom due to the COVID-19 quarantine. Since the spring, MBTI feeds have been readily available on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms.   Below is a popular meme titled ‘ #MBTI 충동 (MBTI Impulsiveness) ’. This meme jokingly illustrates how ‘ 충동적인 (impulsive)’ each MBTI types are.   https://ddnews.co.kr/mbti-%EC%A7%A4-%EB%B0%88/ It reads: 전혀 충동적이지 않음 (Not impulsive at all): ENTJ, ISTJ, ISFJ, ESTJ 평균적으로 충동적임 (Average impulsivity): INTJ, INFJ, ENFJ, ESFJ 너무 충동적 (Very impulsive): INTP, INFP, ISTP, ISFP 엄청나게 충동적 (Extremely impulsive): ENTP, ENFP, ESTP, ESFP 전혀 means ‘ not at all ,’ 평균적으로 means ‘ to an average level ,’ 너무 means ‘ very , ’ 엄청나게 means ‘ extremely ’.   The above meme is another illustration of impulsiveness by MBTI types. ENFP says “ 요즘 자수가 너무 배우고 싶어 (I want to learn how to embroider). 근데 나 소묘도 배워...
자세한 내용 보기

[Korean Culture & Language] Switching between the liver and the gallbladder

이미지
Hello, this is Uptempo! “Saving face” has always been a very important part of Korean culture. Most Koreans try hard to “ 체면을 세우다 (build one’s face),” and “ 체면을 지키다 (maintain one’s face),” and not to “ 체면을 잃다 or 체면을 구기다 (lose one’s face).” ‘ 세우다 ’ means ‘to build’ ‘ 지키다 ’ means ‘to keep’ ‘ 잃다 ’ means ‘to lose’ ‘ 구기다 ’ means ‘to crumple’ or ‘to damage’ ‘Saving one’s face’ means ‘to build one’s reputation,’ ‘maintaining’ one’s face’ means ‘to keep one’s reputation,” and ‘losing one’s face’ means ‘to lose or damage one’s reputation.’ However, some people are more concerned about their profit than “saving or maintaining their face.” They “ 간에 붙었다 쓸개에 붙었다 한다. ” ‘ 간 ’ means ‘liver’ ‘ 붙다 ’ means ‘to stick’ ‘ 쓸개 ’ means ‘gallbladder’ It is directly translated to “It sticks to the liver for a second and then moves to the gallbladder to stick to it for another.” It describes the behavior of someone who switches between two opposing teams or groups for completely selfish reasons. The...
자세한 내용 보기

[Korean Culture & Language] Washing one's Identity

이미지
Hello, this is Uptempo! In July 2021, a Chinese man in his 50s got arrested for killing two people in China and fleeing to Korea. It took years to catch him because he has ‘ 신분세탁 (washed his identity) ’ . Photo by   Jeremy Sallee   on   Unsplash https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/24104555#home According to Korea JoongAng Daily, this murderer killed two people in Yantai, Shandong Province, China in 1987, when he was 20. While hiding in China, he made a new passport after ‘ 신분세탁 (washing his identification) ’. He entered Korea in 2016, and has obtained a permanent residency (F5) visa by marrying a Chinese woman who had obtained Korean citizenship a while back. The term 신분세탁 (Washing one’s identity) refers to a person’s attempt to conceal their prior identity to rebuild a new life . Prostitutes and ex-convicts, for example, are likely to strive to 신분세탁 (rebuild their lives by concealing the fact that they have ever committed a crime or worked as a prostitute).   Belo...
자세한 내용 보기