Archive #8

Annyeong Daily #8: answers explained

October 12, 2026 · Today's five include a sound older people often make, a word for becoming a fan, a famous mixed rice dish, the subject particle 가 (ga), and the spelling of a seaweed rice roll.

Want to try it first? The answers are below.Play #8

1Drama talk

An older man sits down on a bench after a long walk and lets out a '아이고~'. What is he expressing?

아이고 (aigo)

Hello there
Phew / Oh my, that was tiring
Hurry up
Thank you

Answer: Phew / Oh my, that was tiring

아이고 (aigo) is a sound people make to show a strong feeling. It can show tiredness, pain, surprise, sadness or worry. Here the man is tired after a long walk, so it means "Phew" or "Oh my." Older people use it often, for example when they sit down or stand up. Younger people use it too, sometimes as a joke. There are other forms, like 아이구 (aigu) and 어이구 (eoigu). Example: 아이고, 허리야 (aigo, heoriya) — "Oh, my back!" In this pattern, a body part with -야 (-ya) means "it hurts here". 아이고 is not a greeting or a thank-you.

Say it to: Mostly said to yourself; fine around anyone

2K-pop

Someone says '나 이번에 입덕했어.' What happened?

입덕 [입떡] (ipdeok)

They joined a dance class
They left a fandom
They bought an album
They just became a fan

Answer: They just became a fan

입덕 (ipdeok) means becoming a fan, often a deep fan. 입 (ip) means "to enter". It comes from a Chinese character. 덕 (deok) comes from 덕후 (deokhu), a very devoted fan. 덕후 itself comes from the Japanese word "otaku". So 입덕 is "entering fandom". 입덕했어 (ipdeokaesseo) means "I became a fan." The opposite is 탈덕 (taldeok), "leaving a fandom". 탈 (tal) means "to leave". Example: 이 노래 듣고 입덕했어 (i norae deutgo ipdeokaesseo) — "I became a fan after I heard this song." You can use it for any hobby, not only K-pop.

Say it to: Friends and fellow fans — it's fan slang

3Food

What is 비빔밥?

비빔밥 [비빔빱] (bibimbap)

Rice in hot soup
Rice mixed with vegetables and sauce
Kimchi fried rice
Rice cake skewers

Answer: Rice mixed with vegetables and sauce

비빔밥 (bibimbap) is rice topped with vegetables, often with meat and an egg. You mix it all with 고추장 (gochujang), red pepper paste. 비빔 (bibim) comes from 비비다 (bibida), "to mix". 밥 (bap) means rice or a meal. So the name simply means "mixed rice". Mixing everything well before eating is the normal way. One famous kind is 돌솥비빔밥 (dolsotbibimbap). It comes in a hot stone bowl, so the rice at the bottom gets crispy. Example: 잘 비벼서 드세요 (jal bibyeoseo deuseyo) — "Mix it well before you eat." "Rice in hot soup" is 국밥 (gukbap), a different dish.

Say it to: Anyone — it's a plain noun; your verb sets the politeness

4Grammar

Fill in the blank: 'The weather is nice.'

날씨___ 좋아요. (nalssi___ joayo.)

Answer: 가 — 날씨가 좋아요.

날씨가 좋아요 (nalssiga joayo) means "The weather is nice." 가 (ga) is the subject particle. A particle is a small word ending that shows the role of a word. This particle marks who or what does the action or is described. 날씨 (nalssi) ends in the vowel ㅣ (i), so it takes 가. After a consonant, use 이 (i), as in 책이. 를 (reul) and 을 (eul) mark an object, so they do not fit with 좋다 here. Koreans often talk about the weather to start a friendly chat. Example: 오늘 날씨가 추워요 (oneul nalssiga chuwoyo) — "It's cold today." Word by word, it says "Today the weather is cold."

5Hangul

Using the official Revised Romanization, how is this written?

김밥 [김빱]

gimbab
kimbab
gimbap
gimbop

Answer: gimbap

김밥 (gimbap) is rice and other fillings rolled in dried seaweed. 김 (gim) means seaweed, and 밥 (bap) means rice. In Revised Romanization, ㄱ at the start is written g, not k. ㅂ before a vowel is b, but at the end of a syllable it is written p. That is why the second part is "bap", not "bab". Many menus still write "kimbap", and that spelling is common. Some people say the second part with a stronger sound, like 김빱. Both ways of saying it are accepted as standard. Example: 김밥 한 줄 주세요 (gimbap han jul juseyo) — "One roll of gimbap, please."