Learn Korean for Your Dream ‘Chon-cance’ (촌캉스) Getaway!
Hello! This is Maeil Hangul, here to upgrade your Korean skills!
Are you tired of the noisy, crowded city? Do you dream of a peaceful escape? Today, we’re going to learn some essential Korean phrases to talk about the wonderful things a countryside house has to offer. This will be super useful when you want to tell your friends about your dream vacation or a relaxing weekend trip.
Lately in Korea, ‘촌캉스’ (chon-cance), which means a “countryside vacation,” is a huge trend! Many young Koreans are escaping the busy city life to relax and recharge in nature. Let’s learn how to talk about it like a local!
Core Expressions You Need to Know
Here are some key phrases to describe the beauty of the Korean countryside.
1. 공기가 맑다 (gong-gi-ga mak-da)
* Pronunciation [Romanized]: gong-gi-ga mak-da
* English Meaning: The air is clean / The air is fresh.
* Detailed Explanation: This is one of the first things Koreans mention when talking about the countryside. 공기 (gong-gi) means “air,” and 맑다 (mak-da) means “to be clear” or “clean.” You can use this phrase to express how refreshing the air feels compared to the city.
2. 조용하다 (jo-yong-ha-da)
* Pronunciation [Romanized]: jo-yong-ha-da
* English Meaning: To be quiet / peaceful.
* Detailed Explanation: This describes a calm and peaceful environment, free from the noise of traffic and crowds. It’s the perfect word to use when you want to emphasize the tranquility of a place. It’s a descriptive verb, so you can say 조용해요 (jo-yong-hae-yo) in conversation.
3. 경치가 좋다 (gyeong-chi-ga jo-ta)
* Pronunciation [Romanized]: gyeong-chi-ga jo-ta
* English Meaning: The scenery is good / The view is beautiful.
* Detailed Explanation: 경치 (gyeong-chi) means “scenery” or “view.” When you see beautiful mountains, a sparkling river, or a green field, this is the perfect expression to use. It’s a very common and natural way to compliment a beautiful landscape.
4. 힐링되다 (hil-ling-doe-da)
* Pronunciation [Romanized]: hil-ling-doe-da
* English Meaning: To be healing / To feel healed or refreshed.
* Detailed Explanation: This is a very popular Konglish (Korean-style English) word! It comes from the English word “healing.” Koreans use 힐링되다 to describe a mentally and physically relaxing experience that relieves stress. A trip to the countryside is a perfect example of a 힐링 experience.
Example Dialogue
Let’s see how these expressions are used in a real conversation!
- A: 요즘 너무 피곤해요. 주말에 촌캉스 갈 거예요.
- (yo-jeum neo-mu pi-gon-hae-yo. ju-mal-e chon-kangs gal geo-ye-yo.)
- I’m so tired lately. I’m going on a “countryside vacation” this weekend.
- B: 와, 좋겠다! 어디로 가요?
- (wa, jo-ket-da! eo-di-ro ga-yo?)
- Wow, that sounds great! Where are you going?
- A: 강원도에 있는 작은 시골집에 가요. 거기는 공기가 맑고 정말 조용하대요.
- (gang-won-do-e it-neun ja-geun si-gol-jip-e ga-yo. geo-gi-neun gong-gi-ga mak-go jeong-mal jo-yong-ha-dae-yo.)
- I’m going to a small country house in Gangwon Province. I heard the air is fresh and it’s really quiet there.
- B: 우와, 경치가 정말 좋겠어요. 생각만 해도 힐링돼요!
- (u-wa, gyeong-chi-ga jeong-mal jo-ket-sseo-yo. saeng-gang-man hae-do hil-ling-doe-yo!)
- Wow, the scenery must be amazing. Just thinking about it feels so healing!
Culture Tip: The ‘촌캉스’ (Chon-cance) Trend
So, what exactly is 촌캉스 (Chon-cance)?
The word is a combination of 촌 (chon), meaning ‘village’ or ‘countryside,’ and 바캉스 (bacance), the Korean way of saying the French word ‘vacance’ (vacation).
This trend is especially popular among the Korean MZ Generation (Millennials and Gen Z). Tired of the “ppalli-ppalli” (빨리빨리, hurry-hurry) culture of the city, they seek out quiet, beautiful places to relax. They often rent a hanok (traditional Korean house) or a cozy pension, enjoy the slow pace of life, and take beautiful photos for their Instagram.
When you see a Korean post a photo of a peaceful landscape with the hashtag #촌캉스, you’ll often see captions like: “공기가 맑아서 너무 힐링돼요!” (The air is so fresh, it’s so healing!). Now you can understand exactly what they mean!
Let’s Review and Practice!
Great job today! We learned four amazing expressions to describe the charms of the Korean countryside: 공기가 맑다, 조용하다, 경치가 좋다, and 힐링되다.
Now it’s your turn to practice!
- Fill in the blank:
You are looking at a beautiful mountain view from your window. You can say:
“와, _______가 정말 좋아요!” (Wow, the _______ is really good!) -
Make a short sentence:
Imagine you are planning a trip. Why do you want to go to the countryside? Use 조용하다 and 힐링되다 in your answer.
Leave your answers in the comments below! We’d love to see how you use today’s expressions. Where in Korea would you like to go for your dream 촌캉스?
