Archive #14

Annyeong Daily #14: answers explained

October 18, 2026 · Today's five include a cold "never mind", a word for idol trainees, the free side dishes at Korean meals, a pair of time particles, and the spelling of sea.

Want to try it first? The answers are below.Play #14

1Drama talk

You offer to help, and they turn away saying '됐어.' What do they mean?

됐어 [돼써] (dwaesseo)

Forget it / I don't need it
Thank you so much
Let's do it together
That's great!

Answer: Forget it / I don't need it

됐어 (dwaesseo) comes from 되다 (doeda), "to become" or "to be done". Word by word, it means "It's done" or "That's enough." It has two common uses. Said happily, it can mean "It's done!" or "It worked!" But said while turning away, as in the question, it means "Forget it" or "I don't need it." This use can sound cold or sulky, so be careful with it. A softer, polite way to refuse help is 괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo) — "I'm fine, thanks." Example: 됐어, 내가 할게 (dwaesseo, naega halge) — "Forget it, I'll do it myself." Tone and body language change the meaning.

Casual (반말) · blunt · Say it to: Friends and family — when you're a bit annoyed

2K-pop

What is a 연습생?

연습생 [연습쌩] (yeonseupsaeng)

A backup dancer
A vocal coach
A trainee preparing to debut
A fan club leader

Answer: A trainee preparing to debut

연습생 (yeonseupsaeng) means a trainee. 연습 (yeonseup) means practice, and 생 (saeng) means student. In K-pop, trainees join an entertainment company, often as teenagers. They take lessons in singing, dancing and sometimes languages. Training can last a few months or many years. Only some trainees get to debut. 데뷔 (debwi), "debut", means the first official start as a singer. Example: 그는 오 년 동안 연습생이었어요 (geuneun o nyeon dongan yeonseupsaengieosseoyo) — "He was a trainee for five years." A backup dancer or a vocal coach already has a job. They are not trainees.

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

3Food

At a Korean restaurant, many small 반찬 arrive with your meal. What are they?

반찬 (banchan)

Side dishes, usually refillable for free
Appetizers you pay for separately
Sauces only
Desserts

Answer: Side dishes, usually refillable for free

반찬 (banchan) are side dishes served with rice. A Korean meal is usually rice, soup or stew, and several 반찬 to share. Common ones are kimchi, seasoned vegetables called 나물 (namul), and small fish or egg dishes. In most restaurants, 반찬 come free with your main dish. If one runs out, you can ask for more, usually at no cost. Some places have a 셀프 (selpeu) corner, where you refill them yourself. Example: 김치 좀 더 주세요 (gimchi jom deo juseyo) — "More kimchi, please." They are not desserts or appetizers. You eat them with the rice during the whole meal.

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

4Grammar

Fill in the blank: 'I work from 9 to 6.'

9시___ 6시까지 일해요. (ahop-si___ yeoseot-sikkaji ilhaeyo.)

의
도
를
부터

Answer: 부터 — 9시부터 6시까지 일해요.

9시부터 6시까지 일해요 (ahop sibuteo yeoseot sikkaji ilhaeyo) means "I work from 9 to 6." 부터 (buteo) is a particle that means "from" a starting point. A particle is a small word ending that shows the role of a word. 까지 (kkaji) means "until" or "to" an end point. They often come as a pair. Korean uses native Korean numbers for hours: 아홉 시 (ahop si), 9 o'clock. For places, people often use 에서 (eseo) with 까지: 서울에서 부산까지 (seoureseo busankkaji) — "from Seoul to Busan". Example: 월요일부터 금요일까지 (woryoilbuteo geumyoilkkaji) — "from Monday to Friday". 도 (do) means "also" and does not fit here.

5Hangul

Using the official Revised Romanization, how is this written?

바다

bado
pada
bada
bata

Answer: bada

바다 (bada) means sea. 바 is written ba, and 다 is written da. In Revised Romanization, ㅂ is b and ㄷ is d before a vowel. Before 2000, the older system wrote ㅂ at the start of a word as p, as in "Pusan". To many learners, ㅂ at the start sounds between b and p. Between vowels, ㄷ sounds clearly like d. Example: 바다에 가고 싶어요 (badae gago sipeoyo) — "I want to go to the sea." Many Koreans enjoy trips to the sea in summer, for example to Busan. "bado" is wrong because ㅏ is a, not o.