[Korean Culture & Language] Morning-call, Service, Eye-shopping

Hello, this is Uptempo!


If you’ve ever been to Korea, you may have experienced a restaurant’s waiter, waitress, or owner telling you something is a ‘service(서비스).’ 

For example, “만두는 서비스에요.” It is directly translated to “the dumplings are service,” but it actually means “the dumplings are on the house.”

“콩글리쉬(Konglish)” is a collection of English loanwords that have been adopted into the Korean language but are difficult for native English speakers to understand. Many Konglish terms were created by Koreans using unconventional English combinations, abbreviations, or giving familiar English words new meanings or use. 

Even though ‘서비스(service)’ is originally an English word, it has completely different meaning when used in ‘콩글리쉬’. 

Ex)
A: 저기요. 저희 이 음료들은 안 시켰는데요.
A: Excuse me. We didn’t order any of these drinks.
B: 아, 음료는 서비스로 드렸어요.
B: Oh, the drinks are on the house.

Can you guess what the term “아이쇼핑(eye-shopping)” means? It refers to “window-shopping.”

Ex)
A: 내일 쇼핑 갈래?
A: Do you want to go shopping tomorrow?
B: 나 이번달에 돈이 없어…
B: I’m broke this month…
A: 괜찮아. 나도 아이쇼핑 갈려구.
A: That’s okay. I’m also going to window-shop.


What does it mean if someone asks you to give them a ‘모닝콜(morning-call)?’

Ex)

A: 나 오늘 새벽 6시까지 출근해야 하는데, 못 일어날 것 같아. ‘모닝콜’ 좀 해 줄 수 있어?

A: I have to be at work by 6 am, but I don’t think I can wake up. Would you give me a call to wake me up (Could you give me a ‘wake-up call’)?



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