[Korean Culture & Language] Over the Top
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Some ‘막장드라마(soap operas)’ in Korea, like in most countries, ‘무리수를 두다(go too far)’ in their attempts to catch viewers’ attention.
Instead of being original with their plots, many 막장드라마(soap operas) lack originality and revolve around infidelity or cruelty. One of the popular cliche storylines of a ‘막장드라마’ is about a man discreetly marries again while his wife is on vacation, and he exhibits no guilt when questioned by his first wife.
The video below is titled ‘막장 드라마의 특징 (The characteristics of soap operas)’.
In the first example, a girl accuses her mother by saying, '엄마, 나 주워 왔지?'. When directly translated, it means 'Mom, did you pick me up from the street when I was a baby?'.
There’s an expression in Korea ‘다리 밑에서 주워 왔다(Found and rescued a baby from beneath the bridge)’. It is not likely that the baby’s their biological kid if they rescued one from somewhere. So, when Korean kids try to guilt their parents and say that they are not good parents, they say ‘나 다리 밑에서 주워 왔어?(Did you rescue me from beneath the bridge?)’. Sometimes parents say ‘너는 어떻게 우리와 다르니. 다리 밑에서 주워 왔나 봐 (I think we picked you up from the bridge. You are so different from us)’ when their kids refuse to listen to them or act rudely. Thankfully, not many parents use that expression anymore because it is known to traumatize kids.
The girl in the video was half-joking when she asked the question. However, it became really dramatic because the mom answered ‘yes’.
When something is ‘over the top’ or ‘dead-end,’ Koreans say ‘막장이다’.
Ex)
A: 정우랑 예진이 얘기 들었어?
A: Have you heard of what happened to Jung-woo and Ye-jin?
B: 뭔데?
B: What?
A: 정우가 여자친구 세명이나 둔거 들켜서 걔네 이혼했대.
They got divorced because Ye-jin found out that Jung-woo had three other girlfriends.
B: 헐… 막장이네.
B: Oh my gosh… That’s over the top.
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