작업
[jag-eop]
to pick up; mack on; go to work on
The Flashcard
The original illustrated card, front and back.
Meaning & context
군대 내에서의 의무적인 잡역, 일을 뜻하는 말로, 일터에서 프로젝트(일)를 행함에 있어서 자주 사용되지만 비속어로는 실패의 위험 속에서 데이트를 하기 위해 상대를 꼬시려고 노 력하는 행위를 의미한다. 비슷한 영어표현: going to work on someone.
Literally for “fatigue duty” in the army or conducting an operation, this expression is often used in Korean society for doing a project at work. Jakeop became slang for picking someone up due the effort it requires and possibly the danger of failure. Similar to the English “going to work on someone.” A man who is good at jakeop is a jakeop nom (작업놈) a philandering, flirtatious bastard.
From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 184–185. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.
STORY TIME
See it in conversation
Korean
여자들 파내기
English
Digging up girls
너 어디 가는거야?
Where are you going?
어디든 바람 부는데로...
Whichever way the wind blows…
오, 지금 저 여자 말하는거지? 너 작업 걸려고? 하지만, 저 여자를 얻으려면 선수와 같은 힘과 기술이 필요할거야.
Oh, I see her now. You’re going to do jageop, but to get her you’ll need strength and skill like an athlete.
아니지, 작업을 위해서는 휙 부는 바람과 같이 빠르게 덮치고, 산들바람으로 그녀의 뺨을 살짝 스친 뒤, 부드러운 목소리로 그녀의 귀에 속삭여야 하는거야.
No, for jageop I’ll just swoop in on a gust of air, caress her cheek with a soft breeze and whisper gentle nothings in her ear.
작업에 대해 얘기한거야? 아니, 아니지. 너네들은 두려움부터 없애야해 죽음 혹은 실패에 대한. 그리고 삽은 언제나 챙기고.
Did you say jageop? No, no. You boys need to have no fear of death or failure, and always bring your shovel.
From the book: notes & culture
Dating Box
Gettin’ Jiggy with It
•소개팅 [so-gae-ting] Sogae is to introduce someone and the “ting” comes from “meeting” to mean a blind date which extremely popular in with Koreans of both sexes. Variations on sogaeting:
미팅 [mi-ting] meeting, usually a group blind date with three or more guys and girls.
점팅 [jeom-ting] lunch meeting
폰팅 [pon-ting] phone meeting
문자팅 [mun-ja-ting] text meeting
번개팅 [beon-gae-ting] a sudden meeting
헌팅 [hun-ting] hunting for girls, chasing tail
•부킹 [booking] Common practice in South Korean nightclubs, booking describes a type of forced socialization between two genders. First, bikkis [삐끼] in front of the club cajole attractive women inside where as soon as they sit, waiters grab them by the wrist and drag them to another table to sit with men. If they are interested, they stay, and if the men are interested they offer them a drink. This process of forcibly dragging Korean females over to meet men is time tested and admittedly effective in a society that is largely reserved and reluctant to approach others. Booking is not only sanctioned by the club, but requested of waiters who expect a tip for booking well and though some see the service as forced and potentially illicit, to others it is deemed necessary as: a) Koreans have traditionally been too shy to approach strangers of their own volition; b) Korea lacks Western-style bars where people can routinely socialize with strangers; c) Korean-style drinking establishments are populated by booths and tables that cater to couples or groups of friends who, generally, do not mingle easily with outsiders.
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