K-Pop Idols Are Good at Everything! How to Praise Talent in Korean
Hello! This is [Everyday Hangul], here to upgrade your Korean skills!
Have you ever been so impressed by someone’s talent that you were at a loss for words? Maybe it was your friend’s amazing cooking, or a K-pop idol’s flawless performance. Today, we’re going to learn how to praise someone’s special skills in Korean so you can express your admiration perfectly.
Especially these days in Korea, clips from music competition shows are going viral online. Everyone is talking about contestants with incredible, “god-given” talents. You’ll be able to join in on those exciting conversations with today’s expressions! Let’s get started.
Core Expressions You Need to Know
Here are some essential phrases to praise someone like a native speaker.
1. -(으)ㄴ/는 재주가 있다 (-(eu)n/neun jaeju-ga itda)
- Pronunciation [Romanized]: -(eu)n/neun jae-ju-ga it-da
- English Meaning: To have a knack for / to be talented in…
- Detailed Explanation: This is a fantastic pattern to praise a specific skill.
재주
means “talent” or “knack.” You attach it to a verb to say someone is particularly good at that action.- For verbs ending in a vowel, use -는 재주가 있다 (e.g., 노래하다 -> 노래하는 재주가 있다).
- For verbs ending in a consonant, use -은 재주가 있다 (e.g., 만들다 -> 만드는 재주가 있다 – note: ㄹ is a special case and drops).
- It’s a very natural and common way to give a specific compliment.
2. 못하는 게 뭐예요? (mot-haneun ge mwoyeyo?)
- Pronunciation [Romanized]: mot-ha-neun ge mwo-ye-yo?
- English Meaning: Is there anything you can’t do?
- Detailed Explanation: This is a rhetorical question used to express amazement at someone who is good at many things. It’s a very high-level compliment! You’re not actually asking a question, but rather stating that they seem to be perfect. You can say this to a friend when they surprise you with yet another hidden talent.
3. 타고나다 (ta-go-na-da)
- Pronunciation [Romanized]: ta-go-na-da
- English Meaning: To be born with (a talent); to be a natural.
- Detailed Explanation: This verb implies that a talent is so exceptional it must be innate and natural, not just learned.
타고나다
literally means “to be born and come out with.” You often use it in the past tense form,타고났어요
(ta-gonass-eoyo), to describe someone’s natural gift. For example, “그 목소리는 타고났어요” (geu moksori-neun tagonass-eoyo) means “He was born with that voice.”
Example Conversation
Let’s see how these expressions are used in a real conversation. Friends A and B are talking about a viral performance by a new idol from the show “Vocal King.”
A: 어제 ‘보컬킹’ 봤어? 새로 나온 아이돌 노래 진짜 잘하더라!
(eoje ‘bokeolking’ bwasseo? saero naon aidol norae jinjja jalhadeora!)
Did you watch ‘Vocal King’ yesterday? The new idol sang so well!
B: 응, 봤어! 진짜 노래하는 재주가 있는 것 같아. 목소리가 너무 좋아.
(eung, bwasseo! jinjja norae-haneun jaeju-ga inneun geot gata. moksori-ga neomu joa.)
Yeah, I did! He really seems to have a knack for singing. His voice is amazing.
A: 맞아. 근데 춤도 잘 춘대. 도대체 못하는 게 뭐예요?
(maja. geunde chum-do jal chundae. dodaeche mot-haneun ge mwoyeyo?)
*Right. And they say he’s a great dancer, too. Seriously, is there anything he can’t do?
B: 와, 정말? 그 재능은 정말 타고난 것 같아! 완전 인정!
(wa, jeongmal? geu jaeneung-eun jeongmal tago-nan geot gata! wanjeon injeong!)
Wow, really? It seems like he was just born with that talent! I totally agree!
Culture Tip & Trend Deep Dive
The Art of “인정” (Injeong)!
In the dialogue above, Person B ends with “완전 인정!” (wanjeon injeong!). 인정
(injeong) literally means “admission” or “acknowledgment.” Among the younger generation in Korea, it has become a very popular slang word meaning “I agree,” “True that,” or “Facts.”
When someone gives a compliment, like “That idol is so talented,” responding with “인정!” is a cool and casual way to show you strongly agree with their assessment. It shows that you recognize and acknowledge the talent they are talking about. You’ll see it used constantly in comments on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. If you want to sound like a real insider, try using it when you agree with a friend’s praise!
Let’s Review and Practice!
Great job today! We learned how to praise someone’s special skills using expressions like -는 재주가 있다 (to have a knack for), 못하는 게 뭐예요? (is there anything you can’t do?), and 타고나다 (to be born with).
Now, it’s your turn to try!
- Fill in the blank: My friend is an amazing artist.
- 제 친구는 그림을 잘 그려요. 정말 그림 ________ 재주가 있어요. (Hint: The verb is 그리다, to draw).
- Make a sentence: Think of your favorite celebrity who is multi-talented. Using one of today’s expressions, write a sentence praising them in Korean.
Leave your answers in the comments below! We’d love to see you use these awesome expressions. Keep up the great work