[Korean Culture & Language] Liquid courage


Hello, this is Uptempo!


Alcohol can make us feel falsely brave. ‘Liquid courage’ is a term to describe the feelings of self-confidence and self-assuredness when one is drunk. When one is drunk or drugged, one is likely to let go of the social anxiety, and alcohol can be a ‘truth serum’. Many researchers have found that alcohol can’t make anyone say something they weren’t already thinking or feeling even though not everything one says while under the influence of alcohol is necessarily true.


There’s a similar term in Korean: ‘취중진담’. 

취(醉) means ‘drunk’ or ‘high’;

중(中) means ‘in the middle’ or ‘while’;

진(眞) means ‘the truth’ or ‘real’;

담(談) means ‘talk’ or ‘conversation’.

It is directly translated to ‘The truth told while one is drunk’. 


Some people even ‘취기를 빌리다(“borrow” alcohol)’ to give themselves the courage to confess. Which they otherwise wouldn’t be able to do.


There’s a famous song ‘취중진담’. The lyrics are as follows:


그래 난 취했는지도 몰라
Right, I might be drunk.

실수인지도 몰라
I know this might be a mistake.

아침이면 까마득히 생각이 안나 불안해할지도 몰라
I might be anxious tomorrow morning, not being able to recall what I’ve said.

하지만 꼭 오늘밤엔 해야할 말이 있어
But there’s something I need to tell you tonight.

약한 모습 미안해도
I’m sorry if I look weak.

술김이 하는 말이라 생각지는 마
But please don’t think that I’m telling you this only because I’m drunk

언제나 네 앞에 서면
When I’m around you,

준비했었던 말도 왜 난 반대루 말해놓고 돌아서 후회하는지
I keep saying the opposite of what I had planned to say.

이젠 고백할게
I’m going to confess now,

처음부터 너를 사랑해왔다고
that I’ve always loved you.


Have you ever 취중진담 before?

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