ASMR Mukbang: Open Your Mouth!

Hello! This is [Daily Hangul], here to upgrade your Korean skills! 👋

Welcome back! Today, we are going to learn about a very important body part and how to control it. Have you been watching Korean Mukbang (eating shows) or ASMR videos lately? 🍗🎤

In Korea, crunchy snacks like Tanghulu (candied fruit) are super trendy right now. To eat these delicious treats, you need to know how to move your mouth! Whether you are at the dentist or eating delicious Korean BBQ, today’s expressions will be super useful.

Let’s dive into the world of “The Mouth” in Korean!

Today’s Key Expressions 👄

Here are the essential phrases you need to know.

1. 입 (Ip)

• Pronunciation: [Ip]
• English Meaning: Mouth
• Details: This is the basic word for “mouth.” It is used for both talking and eating.
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • When you say 입, make sure to close your lips tight at the end. It sounds like a short, sharp ‘Ip’, not ‘Ip-uh’. Think of the ‘p’ in “top.”

2. 입을 열다 (Ibeul yeolda)

• Pronunciation: [I-beul yeol-da]
• English Meaning: To open one’s mouth
• Details: This phrase is used when you physically open your mouth. You might hear this at a dentist’s office (“Please open your mouth”) or when someone wants to feed you something delicious!
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • Liaison Rule: Notice how ‘입을’ is written as ‘Ip-eul’ but pronounced [I-beul]? This is because the bottom consonant ‘ㅂ(p/b)’ moves over to the empty ‘ㅇ’ spot in the next block. So, it sounds smoother: i-beul.
  • Liquid Sound: For ‘열(yeol)’, curl your tongue slightly for the ‘L’ sound.

3. 입을 닫다 (Ibeul datda)

• Pronunciation: [I-beul dat-ta]
• English Meaning: To close one’s mouth
• Details: This means to physically close your mouth.
  • Caution: In a heated argument, if someone says “입 닫아!” (Close your mouth!), it means “Shut up!”—so be careful when using this with friends!
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • Tensing Rule: ‘닫다’ is written as ‘dat-da’, but it is pronounced [dat-ta]. The first ‘ㄷ(d/t)’ makes the second ‘ㄷ’ sound harder and stronger, like a double ‘tt’.

Real-Life Conversation Example 🗣️

Let’s see how these words are used in real life. Minji and Jason are about to eat the famous Tanghulu!

Minji: 이거 봐! 탕후루 진짜 맛있겠다.
(Igeo bwa! Tanghulu jinjja masitgetda.)
Look at this! The Tanghulu looks really delicious.

Jason: 빨리 먹자! 입을 여세요! 아~
(Ppalli meokja! Ibeul yeoseyo! Ah~)
Let’s eat quickly! Open your mouth! Say ah~

Minji: 아~ (Crunch!) 😋
(Ah~)
Ah~ (Crunch!)

Jason: 소리 대박! 이제 입을 닫으세요.
(Sori daebak! Ije ibeul dadeuseyo.)
The sound is amazing! Now, close your mouth (and chew).

🇰🇷 Korean Culture & Trend Deep Dive

“Why is everyone watching people eat?”

In Korea, Mukbang (Eating Broadcasts) are a huge cultural phenomenon. Unlike in some Western cultures where chewing loudly might be considered rude, in the world of Mukbang and ASMR, the sound of chewing—especially crunchy foods like Tanghulu or Fried Chicken—is considered satisfying!

• Did you know?
  While “입을 열다” (Open mouth) is correct, specifically for medical contexts or when asking someone to open wide (like a hippo!), Koreans also use the verb “벌리다 (beollida)”.
  • “입을 크게 벌리세요” = Open your mouth wide!

However, for beginners, “열다 (Open)” and “닫다 (Close)” are perfect verbs to start with because you can use them for doors, windows, and bags too!

Wrap-up & Practice Quiz 📝

Today we learned how to talk about the mouth! Remember, Liaison (connecting sounds) makes your Korean sound natural like a native speaker.

Let’s practice! Fill in the blank:

To eat a big hamburger, you need to ______ your mouth.

Korean: 입을 _______.
(Hint: Yeolda)

Answer: 입을 열다 (or 여세요 for “please open”).

Did you get it right? Try practicing “Ah~” and opening your mouth in front of a mirror today!

Please leave a comment below using today’s expression! See you next time! 👋