Let’s Meet at the Hottest Place! Deciding Spots in Korean
Hello! This is [Daily Hangeul], here to upgrade your Korean skills! 👋
Are you planning to hang out with your Korean friends soon? Today, we are going to learn how to decide on a meeting place and express your preferences.
In Korea right now, everyone is talking about Seongsu-dong (often called the “Brooklyn of Seoul”)! It is packed with trendy pop-up stores and aesthetic cafes. To visit these “hot places” with your friends, you need to know how to make suggestions and say what you like or dislike.
Let’s learn the trendiest expressions to make your plans perfect! ✨
🔥 Core Expressions
Here are 3 essential phrases to help you decide where to meet.
1. 어디가 좋아?
- Pronunciation: [Eodiga joa?]
- English Meaning: Where do you prefer? / Where is good for you?
- Detail: This is a casual way to ask your friend for their preference before deciding. If you want to be polite (honorific), you can say “어디가 좋아요? (Eodiga joayo?)”.
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
- Look at 좋아 (joa). Why don’t we pronounce the ‘ㅎ(h)’?
- When the consonant ‘ㅎ’ comes between vowels or after a voiced sound, it often becomes silent or very weak. This is called ‘H-deletion’.
- So, instead of saying [jo-ha], say it smoothly like [jo-a]. It sounds much more natural!
2. 여기 어때?
- Pronunciation: [Yeogi eottae?]
- English Meaning: How about here?
- Detail: Use this when showing a picture of a cafe or a map location to your friend. It’s the most common way to make a suggestion.
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
- Pay attention to the ‘ㄸ’ (tt) sound in 어때 (eottae).
- This is a Tensed Sound. You need to build up air pressure behind your tongue and release it sharply without letting air escape (unlike the English ‘t’ in ‘time’).
- Think of it like the ‘t’ in the word “stop” or “start”. Make it strong and short!
3. 거기는 좀…
- Pronunciation: [Geogineun jom…]
- English Meaning: That place is a bit… (I don’t really like it).
- Detail: Koreans rarely say “No!” or “I hate it!” directly. It is considered too harsh. Instead, we say “It’s a bit…” (좀…) and trail off. This is a polite and soft way to reject a suggestion.
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
- ‘좀’ (jom) has a long vowel sound here.
- When used to express hesitation, stretch the sound slightly: [jo::m]. It adds the nuance of “Well… I’m not sure…”
💬 Real-Life Dialogue
Let’s see how Minji and Jason decide where to go. They are talking about the famous “Bagel Cafe” in Seongsu-dong.
Minji: 우리 내일 어디서 만날까? 어디가 좋아?
(Where shall we meet tomorrow? Where do you prefer?)Jason: 성수동에 새로 생긴 베이글 카페, 거기 어때?
(How about that new bagel cafe in Seongsu-dong?)Minji: 음… 거기는 좀… 사람이 너무 많을 것 같아.
(Hmm… That place is a bit… I think there will be too many people.)Jason: 그럼 근처 공원은 어때?
(Then how about the park nearby?)Minji: 거기 좋아! 내일 보자!
(I like that place! See you tomorrow!)
🇰🇷 Culture Tip & Trend Analysis
Do you know what a “Hot-ple” (핫플) is?
In Korea, popular places are called “Hot-ple” (short for Hot Place).
Recently, young Koreans (Gen Z) love going on a “Cafe Tour” (카페 투어) or doing an “Open Run” (오픈런).
- Open Run: Waiting in line before a store opens to get in first. This is very common for famous bagel shops or donut cafes in Seoul!
- Verification Shot (인증샷): If you go to a “Hot-ple,” you must take a photo to post on Instagram.
If your friend suggests a place and says, “여기 완전 핫플이야! (This place is a total Hot-ple!)”, expect a long line but also amazing photos! Using the expression “거기 어때?” while showing an Instagram post of a “Hot-ple” will make you look like a local!
📝 Wrap-up & Quiz
Today we learned how to suggest a meeting place and accept or reject it softly. Remember, being considerate of the other person’s opinion is key in Korean culture!
Let’s practice! Fill in the blank:
Your friend suggests a restaurant, but you want to suggest a different one.
You: “Hmm… (reject softly), _______ 어때? (How about here?)”
- 거기는 좀… / 여기
- 어디가 좋아? / 거기
- 거기 좋아! / 저기
(Answer is at the bottom!)
Task for today:
Do you have a favorite place in your city? Leave a comment below using “_______ 어때?” (e.g., “Starbucks 어때?”).
See you in the next lesson! 안녕! 👋
(Quiz Answer: 1. “Hmm… Geogineun jom… (reject softly), Yeogi eottae? (How about here?”)
