[Korean Culture & Language] Pushover

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The below video is titled ‘만만한 사람 특징(Characteristics of a person who is a pushover)’. ‘만만하다’ refers to a ‘pushover’. 

The video begins with So-hyun saying “아무튼 약속 취소해서 진짜 미안해 오빠. 내가 죽어야지. 내가 진짜 너무 멍청해 가지고 거절도 못 하고. (I’m so sorry. I must die. I couldn’t say no to him because I’m so stupid)”

She canceled her plans with her boyfriend because her boss asked for a substitute staff. But then the boss canceled on her when she was already on her way. She calls his boyfriend to tell him that it is canceled, and ends up joining a gathering where her boyfriend’s friends are.

When she referred to other girls as ‘공주님(princesses)’ and herself as a ‘난쟁이 5 (dwarf 5),’ the other girl tells So-hyun “소현아, 너가 네 엄마라고 생각 해 봐. 누가 너를 함부로 대하도록 둘거야? (So-hyun, imagine that you were your mother. Would you allow people to treat you as they do now?)’

When a friend got drunk and So-hyun’s boyfriend tossed his bag pack at her, asking her to carry it. He offered his friend a lift to her house on his back. After taking his friend home, he took his bag from So-hyun and told her that he needed to leave because his last bus was arriving in 7 minutes. 

So-hyun finally told him she wanted to end their relationship because she imagined being her mom and realized that she is a precious person who doesn’t deserve to be treated like a 만만하게 (pushover).


Ex) 

A: 넌 왜 다 알겠다고 해? 쟤네들이 너를 만만하게 보잖아.
Why do you always say ‘Yes’ to everything? They think you’re a pushover.

B: 괜찮아. 나는 싸우게 되는 것 보다 그게 더 편해
B: It's okay. I feel more comfortable agreeing with others rather than end up arguing with them

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