Archive #17

Annyeong Daily #17: answers explained

October 21, 2026 · Today covered feeling sleepy, a family word for men, Korea's best-known drink and how to stop a stranger politely. You also met the island name Jeju.

Want to try it first? The answers are below.Play #17

1Drama talk

It's 2 a.m. and your friend rubs their eyes: '졸려…'. What's wrong?

졸려 (jollyeo)

I'm cold
I'm sleepy
I'm scared
I'm bored

Answer: I'm sleepy

졸려 (jollyeo) means "I'm sleepy." It comes from the verb 졸리다 (jollida), "to be sleepy." In Korean, you often drop "I" when it is clear who you mean. So one word can be a full sentence. 졸려 is casual, for friends and family. Add 요 to make it polite: 졸려요 (jollyeoyo). Do not confuse it with 피곤해 (pigonhae), which means "I'm tired." You can be tired without being sleepy. Example: 너무 졸려서 커피를 마셨어요 (neomu jollyeoseo keopireul masyeosseoyo) — "I was very sleepy, so I drank coffee."

Casual (반말) · Say it to: Friends, family, or said to yourself

2K-pop

Traditionally, who calls someone '누나'?

누나 (nuna)

A woman, to a younger man
Anyone, to their grandmother
A man, to his older sister or an older woman he is close to
A woman, to an older woman

Answer: A man, to his older sister or an older woman he is close to

누나 (nuna) is what a man calls his older sister. He also uses it for an older woman he is close to. If a woman were speaking, the same person would be 언니 (eonni). Korean family words depend on two things: the speaker's gender and who is older. Using these words instead of names sounds warm and respectful. Calling an older woman only by her name can sound rude. Example: 누나, 이거 먹어도 돼요? (nuna, igeo meogeodo dwaeyo?) — "Nuna, can I eat this?" A common mistake is a woman saying 누나. She should say 언니.

warm · Say it to: Men, to an older sister or a close older woman

3Food

What is 소주?

소주 (soju)

A spicy soup
A clear Korean liquor
Barley tea
Rice wine

Answer: A clear Korean liquor

소주 (soju) is a clear Korean liquor. Most soju in green bottles is made by mixing distilled alcohol with water. Traditional distilled soju is stronger. People drink it from small shot glasses, usually with food. There is a custom: you pour for others, not for yourself. When an older person pours for you, hold your glass with two hands. Example: 소주 한 병 주세요 (soju han byeong juseyo) — "One bottle of soju, please." The tempting answer "rice wine" is 막걸리 (makgeolli). It is milky white, not clear.

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

Also read: Korean drinking etiquette — two hands, turning your head and 건배 (geonbae)

4Grammar

You want to ask an older stranger for directions. How do you start?

실례합니다
축하합니다
다녀왔습니다
수고하세요

Answer: 실례합니다

실례합니다 (sillyehamnida) means "Excuse me." Literally, it is close to "I am being rude." You say sorry first for taking the person's time. This is very polite, so it fits an older stranger. The ending (the last part of the verb) -ㅂ니다 is the formal polite form, used with strangers and in public. Example: 실례합니다, 지하철역이 어디예요? (sillyehamnida, jihacheollyeogi eodiyeyo?) — "Excuse me, where is the subway station?" Many people also say 저기요 (jeogiyo) to get attention. 수고하세요 (sugohaseyo) is a tempting option, but people say it when leaving, not when starting a talk.

Formal (합쇼체) · Say it to: Strangers, older people, anyone you're interrupting

5Hangul

Using the official Revised Romanization, how is this written?

제주

Jeju
Jeiju
Cheju
Jejoo

Answer: Jeju

제주 (Jeju) is Korea's largest island. It is famous for its sea, the mountain Hallasan and its tangerines. In Revised Romanization, ㅈ is j and ㅔ is e. So 제 is je, and 주 is ju. The older system wrote Cheju, and you can still see it in old books and maps. Korea changed to Revised Romanization in 2000. Example: 제주도에 가 봤어요? (jejudoe ga bwasseoyo?) — "Have you been to Jeju Island?" Here 도 (do) means "island." "Jejoo" is wrong because the official system writes ㅜ as u, not oo.