7 Korean Love Phrases That Get Lost in Translation (Can This Love Be Translated)

Watching Kim Seon-ho play a translator who can’t translate his own feelings? That’s the whole point. Some Korean expressions just don’t work in English - and honestly, that’s what makes them beautiful.

What’s This Drama About?

Netflix’s newest romance follows Joo Ho-jin (Kim Seon-ho), a polyglot interpreter who’s better with foreign languages than the language of love. When he meets actress Cha Mu-hee (Go Youn-jung), suddenly all his linguistic skills can’t help him express what he feels.

The Hong sisters wrote this one, so you KNOW it’s gonna be good. Plus Kim Seon-ho’s comeback? We’re so ready.

Quick Overview

1. 설레다 (seolleda) - “Heart Flutter”

When to Use It

English has “butterflies” and “heart flutter,” but 설레다 captures something specific. It’s that mix of anticipation, excitement, nervousness, and giddiness all in one verb - what you feel when you’re around someone you like.

When you’re waiting for their text. When you see their name pop up. When they smile at you. That’s 설레다.

Real Example

(Did you see that person today? / Yeah… my heart was fluttering so much ㅠㅠ / lol you totally fell for them)

Practice Examples

1. About someone: 너 보면 설레 (neo bomyeon seolle) - “My heart flutters when I see you”
2. Describing feeling: 설레는 기분 (seolleneun gibun) - “That fluttery feeling”
3. Question: 설레지 않아? (seolleji ana?) - “Doesn’t your heart flutter?”
4. Past tense: 너무 설렜어 (neomu seolleosseo) - “I was so excited/nervous”

2. 밀당 (mildang) - “Push-Pull”

When to Use It

밀다 (milda) = to push, 당기다 (danggida) = to pull. 밀당 is that dating game where you’re not too eager, not too distant. Playing hard to get, but also showing interest.

In Korean dating culture, 밀당 is an ART. Text back too fast? You look desperate. Too slow? They lose interest. It’s exhausting.

Real Example

Practice Examples

1. Complaining: 밀당하지 마 (mildanghaji ma) - “Stop playing games”
2. Asking for advice: 밀당 어떻게 해? (mildang eotteoke hae?) - “How do I play it cool?”
3. Observation: 저 둘 밀당 중이야 (jeo dul mildang jungiya) - “Those two are doing the push-pull thing”
4. Masters: 밀당의 고수 (mildangui gosu) - “Master of push-pull”

3. 어색하다 (eosaekhada) - “Awkward (But More)”

When to Use It

English “awkward” is close, but 어색하다 includes:

• Socially awkward situations
• Feeling uncomfortable with someone you don’t know well
• When the vibe is just… off
• That weird tension before you become comfortable

It’s not necessarily BAD awkward. Sometimes it’s just… new.

Real Example

Practice Examples

1. Admitting: 어색해… (eosaekhae…) - “This is awkward…”
2. About atmosphere: 분위기가 어색해 (bunwigiga eosaekhae) - “The vibe is awkward”
3. Improvement: 이제 안 어색해 (ije an eosaekhae) - “It’s not awkward anymore”
4. Question: 어색하지 않아? (eosaekhaji ana?) - “Isn’t this awkward?”

Koreans actually appreciate when you acknowledge the awkwardness out loud - it often breaks the ice. Just note that 어색하다 is for social awkwardness. If you mean physically clumsy, that’s 어설프다. And if something is embarrassing, use 창피하다 instead.

4. 좋아하다 (joahada) vs 사랑하다 (saranghada)

When to Use Each

This is THE difference non-Koreans struggle with:

좋아해 is for:

• Confessing your feelings
• Early dating
• Still-figuring-it-out phase

사랑해 is for:

• Established relationships
• Deep commitment
• The real deal

Real Example

(I… like you / Are you serious? / Yeah. For real)

Practice Examples

좋아해:

1. 나 너 좋아해 (na neo joahae) - “I like you”
2. 처음 봤을 때부터 좋아했어 (cheoeum bwasseul ttaebuteo joahaesseo) - “I liked you from the first time I saw you”

사랑해:

1. 사랑해 (saranghae) - “I love you”
2. 너무 사랑해 (neomu saranghae) - “I love you so much”
3. 평생 사랑할게 (pyeongsaeng saranghalge) - “I’ll love you forever”

5. 마음 (maeum) - “Heart/Mind/Feelings”

When to Use It

마음 is one of those Korean words that doesn’t translate cleanly. It means your heart, your mind, your feelings, your spirit, and your intention - all at once.

Real Example

Common 마음 phrases:

Practice Examples

1. Same feelings: 같은 마음이야 (gateun maeumiya) - “I feel the same”
2. Giving heart: 내 마음을 줬어 (nae maeumeul jwosseo) - “I gave you my heart”
3. Changing feelings: 마음이 변했어 (maeumi byeonhaesseo) - “My feelings changed”
4. Heavy heart: 마음이 무거워 (maeumi mugeowo) - “My heart is heavy”
5. Intention: 그런 마음 아니야 (geureon maeum aniya) - “That’s not my intention”

It’s deeper than just “heart” - you’ll hear it constantly in emotional conversations. By the way, if you need the physical heart organ, that’s 심장 (simjang).

6. 정 (jeong) - “Deep Affection”

When to Use It

정 might be the hardest Korean word to explain. It’s an attachment that builds slowly over time - deeper than love in some ways, but not necessarily romantic. It’s the reason you can’t easily leave someone even when logic says you should.

You can develop 정 (정이 들다) with family, long-term partners, old friends - even places or things you’ve been around for years.

Real Example

(You still seeing that person? / Yeah… I’ve grown attached / Ah… I understand)

Practice Examples

1. Developing: 정이 들었어 (jeongi deureosseo) - “I’ve grown attached”
2. A lot: 정이 많아 (jeongi mana) - “So much affection/attachment”
3. Can’t leave: 정 때문에 못 떠나 (jeong ttaemune mot tteona) - “Can’t leave because of this bond”
4. Breaking: 정 떨어졌어 (jeong tteoreojyeosseo) - “Lost that affection” (usually means it’s over)

The thing about 정 is it takes time - you can’t develop it overnight. It’s why Koreans sometimes stay in relationships longer than expected. Not always a good thing though. When relationships end and there’s 정 involved, it hurts more.

7. 인연 (inyeon) - “Fate/Destiny”

When to Use It

인연 is the Korean concept of fateful connections. It’s deeper than coincidence, more spiritual than just “we met.”

Koreans believe:

• Some people are meant to meet
• 인연 brings people together
• If you keep crossing paths, it’s 인연
• Real relationships are 인연

Real Example

Practice Examples

1. Fate: 우린 인연이야 (urin inyeoniya) - “We’re destined to meet”
2. No connection: 인연이 아닌가봐 (inyeoni aningabwa) - “Guess we’re not meant to be”
3. Meeting: 인연을 맺다 (inyeoneul maetda) - “To form a fateful connection”
4. Previous life: 전생의 인연 (jeonsaengui inyeon) - “Connection from a past life”

Koreans take 인연 seriously - it has Buddhist/spiritual roots. Not a word you use casually or sarcastically.

My Experience

These expressions are why Korean romance hits different. 설레 moments still happen after marriage - when my husband brings home hot chocolate on a snowy day, or those quiet mornings before our toddler wakes up.

I was terrible at 밀당. My friends used to say “너 밀당이 없어” because I’d text back immediately. Playing games is exhausting when you just want to be honest.

The 좋아해 to 사랑해 progression is real though. We didn’t say 사랑해 until months into dating. My mom never asks if decisions are logical - just “네 마음이 어때?” What does your heart say?

정 is weird. I’ve developed it for my neighborhood convenience store ajusshi after years of 2am ramen runs. We barely talk, but it’s there. When people meet through random coincidences, Korean parents say “그게 다 인연이야” - it’s all fate.

And 어색? First meetings with in-laws are peak awkwardness. Silent dinners, not knowing what to say. Now we’re fine, but those first months were rough.

Why These Words Matter

The drama’s title is perfect because Kim Seon-ho plays a professional translator who can’t translate his own feelings. Some Korean expressions carry cultural weight that English just doesn’t have equivalents for.

When a Korean says 설레, it’s not just “butterflies” - it’s that specific nervous-excited anticipation. When we say 정이 들었어, we’re acknowledging an attachment that logic can’t explain. And 인연 means the connection is bigger than random chance.

These words exist because Korean culture thinks about relationships differently. You can learn the translations, but understanding when and why Koreans use them - that’s the real language learning.

Related Posts

• 7 Emotional Korean Phrases from Netflix’s Tangerines Drama
• Korean Dating Slang: From 썸 to 사귐
• Korean Gen Z Slang 2025

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go watch more Kim Seon-ho. For research purposes, obviously.