썸(타다)
[sseom(ta-da)]
be something to me; have chemistry or be into someone
Meaning & context
영어 단어 “something” 의 콩글리시화 된 표현인 “썸씽”으로 사용되다가 “썸”으로 축약 된 말로, 누군가가 다른 사람에게 어느 정도 관심을 갖는 것 또는 그 반대의 경우를 나타낸 다. “타다”와 함께 쓰여 두 사람이 반하거나, 매력을 느끼고, 또는 어떤 화학 작용을 일으 키는 “썸”의 상태가 됨을 나타낸다. “그 사람은 내 썸남/썸녀야” 와 같이 종종 남자(-남)나 여자(-녀)를 의미하는 어미와 함께 쓰인다.
Taken from the English word “something,” which had been used in a Konglicized sseomssing (썸씽) and shortened to just sseom to represent someone that has some interest in someone else and vice versa. With tada, it becomes the status of ‘some’ as it to crush on, have a strong attraction or some chemistry between people. It is often used with a male (nam) or female (nyeo) ending (썸남, 썸녀) as in he’s/she’s something to me or could become someone special in my life.
From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 158–160. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.
STORY TIME
See it in conversation
Korean
막장 드라마
English
Makjang Drama
<썸남 썸녀>라는 새로 나온 막장 드라마 봤어?
Have you watched the new makjang drama? It’s called Sseomnam Sseomnyo.
뭐? 어머머머! 재밌겠다! 내용이 뭐야?
What?! Oh mo-mo-mo! That sounds delicious! What’s the story?
음, 재벌 아들이 한 명 있는데 되게 많은 여자의 썸남이야. 그래서 어떤 평범한 여자애랑 썸을 타는데 그의 강압적인 엄마는 아들이 정치인의 딸과 결혼하기를 원하지. 그런데 그 정치인의 딸은 사실 재벌 아들의 아빠가 그 여자 엄마랑 몰래 바람을 펴서 낳은 이복동생이야. (그리고 그 두 사람은 아직도 썸을 타고 있지.) 그리고 재벌 아들 엄마랑 정치인 딸 엄마는 절친이고.
Well, there’s this Chebol son, who’s sseomnam to so many. So he’s sseom to this common girl, but his overbearing mother wants him to marry a politician’s daughter, but she’s actually his biological halfsister from the secret affair of his father with her mother (who still have sseomtada), and her mother and his mother are best friends.
확실히 짚고 넘어가자. 그는 그 여자를 좋아하고 그 여자도 그를 좋아하는데 그는 여동생과 결혼할 운명이고, 그 여동생은 사실 다른 사람에게 관심이 있고, 그의 아빠는 사실 그녀의 엄마와 썸을 타고 있지. 맞지?
So let me get this straight? He’s with her, and she’s with him, but he’s doomed to wed his sister, who’s actually interested someone else, and his dad is sseom to her mom. Right?!
내말이...
Exactly…
우와 그거 완전 썸드라마인데! ㅋㅋ
Wow, that’s sseom drama! Kh, kh.
From the book: notes & culture
The Straight Scoop
막장 드라마 [mak-jang drama] silly Korean dramas with ridiculous premises or absurd situations.
재벌 [chae-bol] large conglomerates in Korea that are family controlled, extremely hierarchical and often have government ties. A son of such a chaebol would be considered a good catch by almost any Korean woman, and is about as likely as prince charming showing up on a white steed.
The Yin and Yang of Iung’s Lyric
Oh what a lovely opening spread:
the mouth wide; its sound unsaid,
to welcome the vowels soon to flow
or round out the end with “ng” below.
From ng ng ng 잉잉잉 or begun as naught
was the yin and yang of i-ung ㅇ wrought.
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