Archive #15

Annyeong Daily #15: answers explained

October 19, 2026 · Today's five include a short "no reason", a respectful title for people who started before you, a famous beef dish, the particle for "by", and how coffee is written in Korean.

Want to try it first? The answers are below.Play #15

1Drama talk

'Why did you call?' — '그냥.' What does the answer mean?

그냥 (geunyang)

Just because / No reason
It was urgent
I need money
Wrong number

Answer: Just because / No reason

그냥 (geunyang) means "just" or "for no special reason." As a short answer, it is like "Just because." Koreans use it a lot. It can be warm, like calling a friend only to talk. It can also be a way to avoid a long answer, when the speaker does not want to explain. Example: 그냥 보고 싶어서 전화했어 (geunyang bogo sipeoseo jeonhwahaesseo) — "I just called because I missed you." In a shop, 그냥 볼게요 (geunyang bolgeyo) means "I'm just looking." This is a polite way to tell staff you do not need help. "It was urgent" is almost the opposite.

Casual (반말) · Say it to: Friends and family

2K-pop

A rookie singer bows to a singer who is younger than them and calls them '선배님'. Why?

선배님 (seonbaenim)

They are the same age
They are the youngest
They are family
They started their career earlier

Answer: They started their career earlier

선배 (seonbae) is a person who started school, work or a career before you. Age does not matter. In Korean schools and workplaces, who started first often matters for how people show respect. So a rookie singer who is older will still call a younger, more experienced singer 선배님 (seonbaenim). 님 (nim) is a word ending that adds respect. A person who started after you is a 후배 (hubae). Example: 선배님, 질문 하나 해도 될까요? (seonbaenim, jilmun hana haedo doelkkayo?) — "Senior, may I ask one question?" Often the 선배 also speaks politely to an older 후배. Both sides show respect.

Say it to: Seniors at school or work — even if they're younger

Also read: 씨 (ssi) vs 님 (nim) — how to call people by name in Korean

3Food

What is 불고기?

불고기 (bulgogi)

Raw fish
Thin slices of marinated, grilled beef
Fried chicken
Spicy pork stew

Answer: Thin slices of marinated, grilled beef

불고기 (bulgogi) is thin slices of beef in a sweet and salty sauce, then grilled or cooked in a pan. 불 (bul) means fire, and 고기 (gogi) means meat. So the name means "fire meat". The sauce is usually soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil and sometimes pear. The pear makes the meat soft and adds sweetness. It is not spicy, so it is a good first Korean dish. Example: 불고기 정식 하나 주세요 (bulgogi jeongsik hana juseyo) — "One bulgogi set meal, please." Some people make it with pork, but beef is the classic one. Spicy pork stir-fry is 제육볶음 (jeyukbokkeum).

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

4Grammar

Fill in the blank: 'I go by bus.'

버스___ 가요. (beoseu___ gayo.)

로
를
도
에서

Answer: 로 — 버스로 가요.

버스로 가요 (beoseuro gayo) means "I go by bus." (으)로 is a particle, a small word ending that shows the role of a word. Here it shows the means, the way or tool you use. After a vowel, use 로 (ro). After ㄹ, also use 로. After any other consonant, use 으로 (euro). So we say 버스로 and 지하철로 (jihacheollo), but 손으로 (soneuro), "by hand". (으)로 can also show direction. Example: 펜으로 써 주세요 (peneuro sseo juseyo) — "Please write with a pen." 버스에서 (beoseueseo) would mean "on the bus", the place where something happens, not the way you travel.

5Hangul

Using the official Revised Romanization, how is this written?

커피

keopi
kopi
keopee
keoppi

Answer: keopi

커피 (keopi) means coffee. Korean has no "f" sound, so an English f usually becomes ㅍ, a p with a puff of air. Revised Romanization writes ㅋ as k, ㅓ as eo and ㅍ as p. So 커피 is keopi. The same thing happens in other loanwords, words taken from another language. For example, "fighting" becomes 파이팅 (paiting). Example: 아이스 아메리카노 한 잔 주세요 (aiseu amerikano han jan juseyo) — "One iced americano, please." Iced americano is very popular in Korea, even in winter. "keoppi" is wrong, because the word has only one ㅍ.