Korean dramas & songs to help you learn Korean

As a drama-series avoider, the thought of watching Korean dramas to improve my Korean first caused me goose bumps. However, after having watched the first few, it turned out to be a very effective way to improve my listening skills. I would have been happy if someone had given me some advice on what Korean dramas to watch at the time. Of course, dramas are a matter of taste, but I'd like to share 2 dramas here that I find pretty recommendable:

Full House and
Hong Gil Dong

Another effective way to learn Korean was to listen and sing Korean songs. When I took a walk to the Hong Kong Peak yesterday, a Korean lady passed by listening to Full House's soundtrack. That is why I went back home to dig out the lyrics of that song to be reminded of the good times in Korea. Reading the Korean lyrics and the English translation proved to be very helpful, and going to Noraebang (Karaoke) with friends to practice even more. Therefore, I attach the soundtracks of Full House and Hong Gil Dong in both languages here. If you watch the dramas, learn the songs at the same time. It is very effective.

Full House

풀하우스 – 운명

Listen on Youtube: Full House Theme

사랑을 잘 모르겠어 이렇게 다가올 줄 날 몰랐었어

내 마음조차도 사랑 앞에서는 내 뜻대로 안돼


이럴 줄 알았더라면

첨부터 시작하지도 않았어

바보처럼 이제와서야 난 이미 늦은 후회를 하고 있어


니가 사랑이 되지 않기를 빌었어

너만은 절대로 아니기를 빌었어

넌 사랑이 아닐걸라고 수도 없이 나를 속여왔어


잠시 스쳐가는 인연이길 바랬어

아픈 상처만 내게 남겨질 테니까

하지만 알면서도 너의 모든 것이 욕심이나

자꾸 슬퍼져…


-간주중-


잘못된 시작이라고

그렇게 쉽게 생각 했었는데

언제든 부를 수 있을꺼라고 난 믿었었는데


어떻게 말해야 할지

어디서 부터가 잘못된 건지

이사랑을 피해야 하는데

니 모든게 너무 그리워져


니가 사랑이 되지 않기를 빌었어

너만은 절대로 아니기를 빌었어

넌 사랑이 아닐걸라고 수도 없이 나를 속여왔어


잠시 스쳐가는 인연이길 바랬어

아픈 상처만 내게 남겨질 테니까

하지만 알면서도 너의 모든 것이 욕심이나


이젠 너 아니면 아무의미 없는데

이제 나도 나를 어쩔수가 없는데

너를 지워야만 한다는 사실이 오늘도 난…

더 힘들게 해…


Full House – Fate



I don’t really know love

I didn’t know it would come to me like this

My heart doesn’t act like it wants to in front of my love


If I knew I was going to be like this,

I wouldn’t have started in the first place

Like a fool, I am regretting this late


I wished that you wouldn’t be my love

I wished that it wouldn’t be you

You deceived me, telling me that it’s not love


I hoped that it would be a passing by fate

Because painful wounds will be left on me

But even when I know this, I am still greedy

It keeps getting me sad…


-Intermezzo-


I thought that it was a wrong start

I thought so easily

I believed that I could always call you


What should I do?

Where did it go wrong?

I need to avoid this love

But I yearn for everything about you


I wished that you wouldn’t be my love

I wished that it wouldn’t be you

You deceived me, telling me that it’s not love


I hoped that it would be a passing by fate

Because painful wounds will be left on me

But even when I know this, I am still greedy


Now if it’s not you, there is no meaning to anything

I can’t contain myself anymore

The fact that I have to erase you

Today again,

It makes it even harder…



Hong Gil Dong

만약에 - Singer: 태연
Listen on Youtube: Hong Gil Dong Theme

만약에 내가 간다면

내가 다가간다면

넌 어떻게 생각할까

용길 낼 수 없고

만약에 니가 간다면

니가 떠나간다면

널 어떻게 보내야 할지

자꾸 겁이 나는 걸

내가 바보 같아서

바라볼 수 밖에만

없는 건 아마도

외면할지도 모를

니 마음과 또 그래서

더 멀어질 사이가 될까봐



정말 바보 같아서

사랑한다 하지

못하는 건 아마도

만남 뒤에 기다리는 아픔에

슬픈 나날들이

두려워서인가봐

만약에 니가 온다면

니가 다가온다면

난 어떻게 해야만 할지

정말 알 수 없는 걸

내가 바보 같아서

바라볼 수 밖에만

없는 건 아마도

외면할지도 모를

니 마음과 또 그래서

더 멀어질 사이가 될까봐



정말 바보같아서

사랑한다 하지

못하는 건 아마도

만남 뒤에 기다리는 아픔에

슬픈 나날들이

두려워서인가봐

내가 바보 같아서

사랑한다 하지 못하는 건 아마도

만남 뒤에 기다리는 아픔에

슬픈 나날들이

두려워서인가봐



What If - Singer: Tae Yeon


If I were to go

If I were to get close to you

What would you think?

I don’t have the courage

If you were to go

If you were to leave

I don’t know how to send you away

It keeps hanging on my mind

Because I’m like a fool

And can only watch you from afar

Your heart may look away from me

And so

We could even become strangers

Just like a fool

I can’t even say that I love you because

We’re afraid of the waits that come upon us

After we meet…

I’ll be painful and sad

If you were to come

If you were to come near me

What would I do?

I really don’t know

Because I’m like a fool

And can only watch you from afar

Your heart may look away from me

And so

We could even become strangers

Just like a fool

I can’t even say that I love you because

We’re afraid of the waits that come upon us

After we meet…

I’ll be painful and sad

Because I’m like a fool

I can’t even say that I love you because

We’re afraid of the waits that come upon us

After we meet…

I’ll be painful and sad