[Korean Culture & Language] It was Summer



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The expression “여름이었다 (It was summer)” was first used and has become popular among Gen-Zers when a Twitter user asked for inspiration for her poem that she was writing for her homework, and her friend commented, “Just write whatever and then add ‘it was summer’ at the end. Then it will sound romantic.”
The term is also claimed to have first appeared in the novel, “Bonjour Tristesse” by Françoise Sagan, a famous French novelist, and screenwriter known for her strong romantic themes in her works.

South Korean archer Ansan who won three gold medals at the 2020 Summer Olympics also mentioned the phrase “여름이었다” during the interview. She was the first archer in Olympic history to win gold medals in all three competitions: women’s team, mixed team, and individual competition.

Even though the hashtag “#여름이었다” is frequently used for summer-related photos or videos on social media, it is more often used to describe ‘the most beautiful and joyful period of one’s life.’

The below question asks: “Z 세대가 활용하는 ‘여름이었다’의 의미와 가장 가까운 영화 장르는? (Which of the following movie genres most closely represents the term ‘it was summer?’)”

  

  1. 호러 (Horror)
  2. 하이틴 (Teen movies)
  3. 액션 (Action)
  4. 코미디 (Comedy)

The answer is 2)

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