볼매
[bol-mae]
to grow on someone
The Flashcard
The original illustrated card, front and back.
Meaning & context
“볼수록 매력있다”의 줄임말로, 계속 볼수록 더 나아지는 것이나 사람을 설명하는 말이다.
처음에는 인지하지 못했지만 어떤 사람을 점점 더 매력적으로 보이게 하는 설명할 수 없는 무언가를 말한다.
Short for bol-su-rok mae-ruck eet-da (볼 수록 매력있다), it describes something or someone that looks better, the more you see them. That indescribable attribute of someone that seems to grow on you, making them seem more and more attractive despite initially being overlooked.
From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 122–122. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.
STORY TIME
See it in conversation
Korean
볼매 되기
English
Being Bolmae
걔가 희연이 새 남친이라고? 농담이지?!
He’s HeeYeon’s new boyfriend?! You’ve got to be kidding!
그래그래, 걔가 잘생기진 않았지만 설명할 수 없는 무언가가 있다고… 내 생각에 아마 걔는 볼매인 것 같아.
OK, OK, he’s not much to look at, but he’s got that je ne sais quoi; that pleasant quality that’s hard to describe; that indescribable something… I guess he’s bol-mae.
오, 그럼 돈이 많나? 운 좋은 기지배.
Oh, so he has money?! That lucky girl.
돈도 없어. 품격이 있을 뿐.
No money, just class.
뭐라고? 잘생기지도 않고 돈도 없어? 도대체 어디서부터시작해야돼?
What? No looks and no money? There’s nothing to even start with?
어쨌든. 바로 그게 볼매잖아.
Whatever. That’s what bol-mae is!
성격이 좋나보네.. 네 말이 맞나보다.
Full of personality, I guess… I’ll have to take your word for it.
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