[Korean Culture & Language] Low Quality

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While being ‘frugal’ is not a bad thing and is often admired, being ‘cheap’ is almost always frowned upon. For example, not going shopping for one’s own clothes until all of one’s clothes have worn out is acceptable and is considered frugal. However not getting a birthday gift for one’s mother in order to save money is unacceptable and is considered ‘cheap’. It is possible to be frugal without being cheap.


In Korean, ‘알뜰하다’ means ‘frugal,’ while ‘구두쇠’ means ‘cheap’. 

Ex) 

A: 태희는 정말 알뜰한 것 같아. 항상 남은 음식을 가져가잖아.
Tae-hee seems to be really frugal. She always takes the leftovers home.

B: 저건 알뜰한게 아니라 구두쇠인거야. 자기 베프인 세미 생일 선물도 안 줬대.
That’s not being frugal. She’s just being cheap. She didn’t even give Saemi a birthday present even though she’s her ‘best friend’.

The term ‘cheap’ may also refer to a price of a product. While ‘싸다’ means ‘cheap’ or ‘affordable,’ the term ‘싸구려’ refers to a ‘cheap and low-quality product’.

Ex) 

A: 나 어제 차이슨 에어랩 주문했어.
A: I ordered a ‘Chyson’ Airwrap from Amazon last night.

B: 그거 가짜 다이슨 에어랩 아니야? 그거 완전 싸구려라고 들었는데.
B: Isn’t that the fake Dyson Airwrap? I’ve heard it’s cheap and of poor quality.

A: 맞아. 근데 다이슨 에어랩은 전 세계에서 다 매진 됐대. 어쩔 수 없지 뭐.
Yeah. It is. But the real Dyson Airwrap is completely sold out across the world. I didn’t have a choice.

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