Title: Office Gossip? Korean Phrases to Shut It Down Professionally
Hello! This is [Maeil Hangeul], here to upgrade your Korean skills!
Have you ever been in that awkward situation at work where a coworker starts gossiping about someone else? It’s uncomfortable, and you don’t want to participate, but you also don’t want to be rude. How do you handle it in a Korean workplace?
Lately in Korea, realistic office dramas have been a huge trend, showing all the complex relationships and challenges of workplace life. One of the most common problems is dealing with rumors and gossip. Today, we’ll learn some essential Korean phrases to navigate this tricky situation politely and professionally, just like the cool-headed protagonist in a K-drama!
Core Expressions You Need to Know
Here are four key expressions to help you masterfully handle office gossip.
1. 뒷담화 (Dwitdamhwa)
- Pronunciation: [Dwit-dam-hwa]
- English Meaning: Gossip / Talking behind someone’s back
- Detailed Explanation: This is a very common word you’ll hear in Korea. It literally means “back” (뒷) + “talk” (담화). It perfectly captures the negative feeling of people talking about someone who isn’t there. While it’s an informal term, it’s widely understood in all settings, including the office.
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
Even though it’s written as ‘dwit-dam-hwa’, the actual pronunciation is closer to [뒤땀화, dwittamhwa]. Why? When a syllable ending in a ‘ㅅ’ (s) sound is followed by a consonant like ‘ㄷ’ (d), the ‘ㄷ’ sound becomes a strong, tense ‘ㄸ’ (tt) sound. This is called ‘tensification’ (경음화). So instead of a soft ‘dam’, you say a stronger ‘ttam‘. It’s a small change that makes you sound much more natural!
2. 소문 (Somun)
- Pronunciation: [So-mun]
- English Meaning: Rumor
- Detailed Explanation: While
뒷담화is usually about someone you know personally,소문is a more general term for a rumor that spreads among many people. You’ll often hear it with the verb퍼뜨리다(peotteurida), as in소문을 퍼뜨리다(to spread a rumor). - 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
This one is easy! It’s pronounced exactly as it’s written: 소 (so) + 문 (mun). No tricky rules here!
3. 그런 말은 안 하시는 게 좋을 것 같아요. (Geureon mareun an hasineun ge joeul geot gatayo.)
- Pronunciation: [Geu-reon ma-reun an ha-si-neun ge jo-eul geot ga-ta-yo]
- English Meaning: I think it would be better if you didn’t say things like that.
- Detailed Explanation: This is the ultimate polite but firm way to shut down gossip. Let’s break it down:
그런 말(that kind of talk) +안 하시는 게(the act of not doing/saying – with honorifics) +좋을 것 같아요(it seems like it would be good). In Korean culture, direct confrontation is often avoided. This indirect phrase allows you to express your discomfort without directly accusing your coworker of wrongdoing. - 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
Let’s look at좋을 것 같아요. The ‘ㅎ’ (h) in좋을 [조을, joeul]is silent before the vowel that follows. For같아요 [가타요, gatayo], the ‘ㅌ’ (t) sound from the bottom of같moves over to the next syllable, replacing the silent ‘ㅇ’. This is a very common sound-linking rule called ‘re-syllabification’ (연음).
4. 오해를 살 수 있어요. (Ohaereul sal su isseoyo.)
- Pronunciation: [O-hae-reul sal ssu is-seo-yo]
- English Meaning: It could cause a misunderstanding.
- Detailed Explanation: This is another fantastic, indirect phrase. The expression
오해를 사다literally means “to buy a misunderstanding,” but it’s an idiom that means “to cause a misunderstanding.” By saying this, you’re not judging the person, but rather pointing out the potential negative consequences of their words. It’s a very professional way to raise a red flag. - 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
Notice the pronunciation of살 수 [살 쑤, sal ssu]. When a syllable ending in ‘ㄹ’ (l) is followed by ‘ㅅ’ (s), the ‘ㅅ’ sound often becomes a tense ‘ㅆ’ (ss) sound. This is another example of tensification. Practicing this will make your Korean flow much more smoothly!
Example Dialogue
Let’s see these phrases in action! Imagine you (B) are at the coffee machine with your coworker, Sujin (A).
- A (Sujin): 이봐요, 새로 온 민준 씨에 대한 소문 들었어요? 듣자 하니 부장님이랑 아는 사이라서 입사했대요.
(Hey, did you hear the rumor about the new guy, Minjun? I heard he only got the job because he knows the department head.) - B (You): 정말요? 저는 처음 듣는 이야기네요. 근데 그렇게 뒷담화하면 오해를 살 수 있어요.
(Really? That’s the first I’m hearing of it. But talking behind his back like that could cause a misunderstanding.) - A (Sujin): 음… 그런가요? 그냥 들은 얘기를 한 건데…
(Hmm… you think so? I was just saying what I heard…) - B (You): 네. 그런 말은 안 하시는 게 좋을 것 같아요. 우리 일에나 집중해요.
(Yes. I think it would be better not to say things like that. Let’s just focus on our work.)
See how B professionally redirects the conversation without creating conflict? Perfect!
Culture Tip & Trend Deep Dive
In the Korean workplace, having good 눈치 (nunchi) is extremely important. 눈치 is the subtle art of reading the room, understanding social cues, and responding appropriately.
Directly saying
