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Hello, this is Uptempo! People sometimes pay their card bill with another credit card by using a ‘balance transfer’ or ‘cash advance.’  This is called ‘ 돌려막기 ’ in Korean. The term ‘ 돌려막기 ’ is also used as slang to describe a situation where people reuse gifts. Ex) A: 주한이가 선물 준거 풀어봤는데, 이거 소현이가 주한이에게 준 생일선물 아니야? = I opened the present that Joo-han gave me. Isn’t this what Joo-han received for his birthday from So-hyun? B: 주한이 걔 항상 선물 돌려막기 하잖아. 몰랐어? =  He recycles his presents all the time. Did you not realize that? A: 와… 진짜 쪼잔하다  =  Wow… He’s cheap. Below video is titled ‘ K-칭찬 특) 칭찬 돌려막기 함’ https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DMKmYCJDing It is translated to: ‘Characteristics of compliments in Korea: People recycle compliments’ The guy in the video says, “ 그림을 너무 잘 그렸어. 그러면 ‘우와~ 이거 사진같아요. ” =  When a painting looks amazing, then you’d say, ‘Wow, this painting looks like a picture.’ He continues, “너무 멋있는 사진이야. ‘우와 이거 그림 같아요. ” =  When a picture looks amazing, ...

Hello, this is Uptempo! Nowadays, an increasing number of people have developed an unhealthy obsession with money or “success” to the point where they have turned into ‘monsters’. Even though everyone’s definition of “success” is different, many people relate success with money. It's a fact that even though money doesn’t equal happiness, it could motivate one to live a better life. Koreans refer to people who have become too obsessed with money or success ‘자낳괴.’  It’s an abbreviation for ‘자본주의가 낳은 괴물.’ ‘자본주의’ means ‘capitalism’ ‘낳은’ means ‘given birth to’ or ‘produced’ ‘괴물’ means ‘monster(s)’ People usually call someone a ‘monster’ when one is being passionate or intelligent but unsympathetic and manipulative.   So, ‘자낳괴’ refers to someone who would do anything to gain success, usually at the expense of others .   When celebrities advertise certain products that are not of good quality or are totally against their own belief, people call the situation or the celebrity a ‘...

Hello, this is Uptempo! It has long been known that holding one’s breath unconsciously is bad for one’s health. However, studies have found that holding a breath can have health benefits. It can not only help expand one’s lung capacity but also extend one’s lifespan by keeping their stem cells healthy. Recently, ‘한호흡챌린지(one-breath challenge)’ videos, where people record themselves trying to talk or sing in one breath, have become popular on social networks. Jang Won-young, a famous singer and model, also tried the ‘한호흡챌린지 (One-breath challenge)’ on a show, and the resulting video clip gained a lot of attention. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cUp5pqy4-K8 She says  in one breath. “안녕하세요. 반갑습니다.” means “Hi, Nice to meet you.” “지금부터 한 호흡에 한 글자도 틀리지 않고 말하기 정확하게 하기한 호흡 챌린지를 시작하겠습니다.” means “Let me start the ‘one-breath challenge’ where I should speak every word clearly in one breath with no mistake.” “도대체 이걸 왜 하느냐 이렇게 하면 말하기의 유연성을 키울수 있기 때문인데요.” means “Why should we do this? It’s to help...

Hello, this is Uptempo! Our hearts naturally encourage us to listen to and assist others who are experiencing difficulties. There is a term in psychology, ‘prosocial behavior,’ which refers to any action intended to help others. Altruism, or the desire to help others without expecting any reward, motivates prosocial behavior. However, if you meddle too much in other people’s lives and try to help them in an unwanted way, they might not appreciate your help and may even feel intruded on. You could come out as a ‘오지랖퍼(busybody). ’ The term ‘오지랖’ refers to the act of someone trying to help others in an unwanted or annoying manner. It doesn’t matter whether the person had good or bad intentions. Ex) 오지랖 좀 부리지 마. Stop poking your nose into others’ business. 걔 진짜 오지랖퍼야. He is such a busybody. Below video is titled ‘알바 중 이상형한테 번호 따일 확률 (편의점 고인물)’ https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EeIBy4OjF3A ‘알바’ is an abbreviation for ‘아르바이트’ which means ‘a part-time job’ ‘중’ means ‘while’ ‘이상형’ means ‘an idea...

Hello, this is Uptempo! Do you prefer drinking alcohol when you’re happy or when you’re stressed out?   Some studies have found that alcohol slows down the body’s normal hormonal reaction to stress, while other studies have shown that alcohol helps reduce feelings of stress when it is consumed moderately. The two ladies in the video below seem to know when alcohol tastes its best. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WfaUfDNcShk Kwang-hee asks, “그럼 소주는 어떻게 먹어야지 맛있어요? (Then, how should you drink Soju to make it taste good? / When do you feel that soju is most delicious)? One of the ladies replies, “잘생긴 남자랑 있을 때 (When I’m with a handsome guy)”. Kwang-hee asks again, “그럼, 어떨 때 맥주가 제일 땡기는지? (Then when do you crave beer the most?)” (땡긴다 is a slang term for ‘crave’) The lady replies, “지금 이 순간 (Right now)”. Kwang-hee gets impressed and asks, “지금 이 순간? 아 잘 생긴 사람이랑 있어서?(Right now? Is that because you’re with a handsome guy?)”   The lady nods and replies, “술술 들어가 술술” ‘술’ means ‘alcohol,’ ‘술술’...

Hello, this is Uptempo! Many people got bored as a result of the COVID-19 quarantine, and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) has become increasingly popular in Korea. ENFJs and INFPs are known to be very compatible with each other and have great chemistry together. The below video is an interesting illustration of how INFPs and ENFJs become friends or romantic partners: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/W3jj_8g8mLk 이 놈은 친구 사귀는 방법이라곤 간택 당하는 것 뿐인 INFP 한 마리 입니다. This is an INFP who doesn’t know how to make friends other than by being chosen by others. 녀석은 주목을 받으면 쓰레기통인 척 하는 습성이 있습니다. When she gets others’ attention, she poses as a trash can. 이놈은 INFP 콜렉터 ENFJ 한 마리 입니다. This is an ENFJ, the INFP collector. 녀석은 자신의 주머니에 INFP를 모으는 습성이 있습니다. He has a habit of collecting INFPs in his pocket. 그 때 그는 사냥감을 발견합니다. Then he spots a prey. 곤란한 상황을을 겪은 인프피 한 마리. INFP is facing a challenging situation. 녀석은 인프피 주변을 맴돌다 기가막힌 타이밍에 도움을 줍니다. ENFJ keeps himself around INFP and helps her at a perfect time. ( ...

Hello, this is Uptempo! A ‘주어(subject)’ identifies the topic of a sentence. It tells us what the sentence is about. Every complete sentence contains a subject and a predicate. Without them, it is challenging for other people to understand what one is trying to say.   The below video is titled ‘ 주어의 중요성. ’   ‘ 주어 ’ means ‘ a subject ’ and ‘ 중요성 ’ means ‘ the importance. ’  The video illustrates how important it is to include a subject in a sentence to communicate clearly. https://youtube.com/shorts/RHoBOLFErXQ?feature=share Dong-jun talks to himself and says, “너무 많나? 아닌가? (Is this too much? Is it not?)”. Then he asks Joong-wan, “형, (버터) 얼마나 넣어요? (Bro, how much of these should I use?)” Joong-wan replies, “그거 (새우) 까 먹으면 얼마 없어 (When you peel them, they won’t be a lot.)” Dong-jun then asks again, “아, 그럼 다 해? (Oh, so should I use them all?)” Joong-wan answers, “응, 까 먹으면 별로 없어. 다 해.(Yeah, use all of them. It won’t be much once you peel them.)”   He continues, “소금은 많이 뿌렸어...

Hello, this is Uptempo! You might have noticed that some fans add ‘좌’ at the end of celebrities’ names or nicknames. Even though ‘좌’ is used more often to mean ‘left’ in Korean, like for ‘좌회전(turn left)’ or ‘좌측(left side),’ it is also used to count Buddha statues or mirrors . It comes from the Chinese letter ‘ 좌(座),’ which means 'seat' or 'status.'  ‘ 좌불상 (座 佛像) ’ is directly translated to ‘Seated Buddha Statue’.   The term is also used to refer to oneself when speaking to someone who is of a lower status than them, especially in martial arts fiction novels. For example, ‘본 좌 앞에서 감히 어떻게 그런 말을 하느냐?’ means ‘How dare you speak to me (who is in a higher status than you) like that?’. After 2020, however, ‘좌’ is used to describe a person’s trait, especially regarding their skill or area of expertise. Below is a popular meme for Brave Girls, a South Korean girl group formed by producer Brave Brothers in 2011 and managed by Brave Entertainment. From left to right are   Yuna...

Hello, this is Uptempo! ‘Culture’ refers to the ‘way of life’ of groups of people or the manner in which they conduct themselves. Cultures may vary amongst various groups. One’s writing, religions, music, attire, cuisine, and daily activities all reflect their culture. The culture and mentality can differ significantly even between neighboring areas. Since South Korea is a high-context culture, Koreans do not speak as much as lower-context cultures like people from the US, UK, or Germany and rely more on context when communicating. Even within Korea, there are some regions that have a stronger high-context culture. One of the known regions for high-context culture is Chungcheong Province (충청도).   Han Hyo-joo, a well-known actress, model, and singer, is from 청주(Cheongju), the capital city of North Chungcheong Province. She is known for using a high-context communication. https://youtu.be/HIzBD5KOvNo In this video, Hyo-joo asks, “오빠 옥수수라도 먹을래?(Do you want some corns?)” Kwang-soo repl...

Hello, this is Uptempo! Everland is South Korea’s biggest theme park, located at the Everland Resort in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do. One of their popular rides named   ‘아마존(Amazon Express)’ is a rafting expedition like Kali River Rapids at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park of the Walt Disney World resort. It is famous for leaving everyone soaked after a ride. youtube.com/watch?v=ptCIhrBnWn8 One part-time employee at Everland has recently been promoted to a full-time employee after making a rap/song for the ‘Amazon Express.’ Below are some of the lyrics from the rap she made: 내 앞에 있는 안내 근무자의 안내를 받아 한 자리에 두분 씩 한 보트에 열 분이서 A guide in front of you will direct you. Two people in one seat. Ten people on one boat. 머리 젖습니다 Your hair will be wet 옷도 젖습니다 Your clothes will also be wet 신발 젖습니다 Your shoes will be wet 양말까지 젖습니다 Your socks will be wet 옷 머리 신발 양말 다 다 젖습니다 Your clothes, hair, shoes, socks, everything will be wet. 물에 젖고 물만 맞는 여기는 아마존 This is Amazon where you will be hit by water and get we...

Hello, this is Uptempo! Do you remember the song 'Cookie,' which is New Jeans' debut title from the last post? Many comments have been made regarding the song, some of which have gained significant popularity because they are funny.   Below is one of the most popular comments that received 1.6 million likes:   출처 : YouTube It reads: 가사 논란 이런건 모르겠고 첫 도입부부터 ‘내가 만든 국기~~~’ 애국심이 대단한 그룹 같아서 눈물 흘리며 들었습니다. 가사lyrics 논란 means issue/controversy 이런건 means whatsoever 모르겠고 means don’t know about 도입부 means intro 내가 means I 만든 means made 국기 means flag 애국심 means patriotism 대단한 means great 그룹 means group 같아서 means like 눈물 means tears 흘리며 means fell 들었습니다 means listened The comment means, “I don’t know about the controversy, but tears fell down my cheeks when I heard the intro, ‘The flag that I made’. They are such a patriotic group.” This comment is supposed to be funny because 쿠키(Cookie) sounds so much like 국기 (pronounced as ’Gookgi’ and means ‘a flag’ or the abbreviation for...

Hello, this is Uptempo! One of the newest K-pop girl groups, 뉴진스 (New Jeans), released a song titled ‘Cookie’ along with their debut album on July 22, 2022. Despite their huge success, their management agency Ador is being blamed for letting underage girls sing a song with sexual connotations. One of the girls is only 14 years old, and the other four are each 16, 17, and 18 years old, which makes them all minors. Some of the lines from the song are:   https://youtube.com/shorts/M3Y50TlfVVM?feature=share 내가 만든 쿠키 I made a cookie for you. 너를 위해 구웠지, but you know that it ain't for free, yeah I baked it just for you, but you know that it ain't for free, yeah 내가 만든 쿠키 The cookie that I made 너무 부드러우니 (what?) 자꾸만 떠오르니 (ayy) It’s so soft (what?). You can’t help but keep thinking about it (ayy). 널 choco'-chip 으로 sprinkle로 입맛 버리게 만들고 싶어 I want to spoil your appetite with chocolate chips and sprinkles 숨기고 있지만 널 더 보고 싶어 Yeah, I’m hiding it but I want to see more of you. If you want it,...

Hello, this is Uptempo! One of the most recent Korean idol groups, 뉴진스 (New Jeans), released their debut music for ‘Attention’ on July 22, 2022. It received 7.29 million views during the fourth week of July, according to K-Pop Radar. The following are the lyrics: https://youtu.be/js1CtxSY38I You and me 내 맘이 보이지 You and me, Can you see(feel) my heart? 한참을 쳐다봐, 가까이 다가가 you see (ey-yeah) I stare at you for a while, and I walk closer to you. you see (ey-yeah) You see, ey, ey, ey, ey One, two, three 용기가 생겼지 Now I have the courage. ‘용기’ means ‘courage’ ‘생기다’ means ‘newly formed’ or ‘come to have something’ 이미 아는 니 눈치 You seem to be aware of this already. 고개를 돌려 천천히, 여기 You are turning your head slowly to my side. You see 여기 보이니? Do you see? Looking for attention 너야겠어 Looking for attention, It must be you. 확실하게 나로 만들겠어 stop I’ll make sure that you like me too. Ey, drop the question Drop the, drop the question Want attention Wanna, want attention You give me butterflies, you know 내 맘은 온통 parad...