Growing up bilingual, I realized early on that there were many things that I wanted to say that didn’t seem to have a direct translation in English. The Korean language on the other hand, has words that captured emotions or social nuances that would perfectly express what I was thinking. This made me realize how beautiful the language really is and appreciate how much meaning there can be in one word. I could fill a whole book with these words, but for now, let’s start off with the three big ones: Han, Jeong, and Nunchi.
Han (한)
Han describes a very deep emotion. It isn’t a single translatable word as it combines multiple emotions— resentment, grief, sorrow, anger, and a feeling of being wronged (injustice). Han is also something that is more accurately defined as a lingering state, unlike single emotions like anger and sorrow. Han is a concept that has been frequently represented in Korean media. Some popular examples include the Squid Games and the movie Parasite. The stories revolve around characters who decide to take drastic measures, acting out of pain and the feeling that life has been unfair.
Jeong (정)
Jeong is also a concept that goes much farther than a single emotion. It represents the connection, attachment, and affection that is developed between people over time. It’s not limited to romantic relationships and can be used to describe that emotional and psychological connection between anyone. The first Korean drama Reply 1988 does a fantastic job at capturing Jeong through the bond and the relationships between friends, family, and neighbors.
Nunchi (눈치)
Nunchi is slightly different to the other two on this list in the sense that it isn’t an emotion but an ability. Nunchi is best described as the ability to read the room and respond accordingly and often seen as the key to success. It affects how people interact with each other in any given setting. Deeply rooted in Korean collectivist culture where the needs of the group rather than the need of an individual are emphasized, Nunchi is crucial to maintain the group harmony and a skill learned early on in life. There are few works that focus on Nunchi, but it appears everywhere in media: song lyrics, TV shows and dramas, and movies.
Han, Jeong, and Nunchi show how layered the Korean language is and how culture can influence language. Next time you get the chance, you should keep a lookout for Han, Jeong, and Nunchi in the media.
Follow on Instagram: @not.lostin.translation
Comments
Post a Comment