{"id":6216,"date":"2018-12-05T16:26:24","date_gmt":"2018-12-05T21:26:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/korean\/?p=6216"},"modified":"2018-12-05T16:26:24","modified_gmt":"2018-12-05T21:26:24","slug":"what-is-jeong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/korean\/what-is-jeong\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Jeong?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you are studying Korean, I bet you have heard about \u201c\uc815(Jeong<\/strong>: affection, attachment, goodwill etc.)\u201d. The concept of \uc815 is a topic that you will eventually come across while learning Korean. When you type \uc815 in a dictionary, it lists words like \u2018affection\u2019 or \u2018attachment\u2019, but can \uc815 simply be reduced to one word?<\/p>\n

Most Koreans that I know have a hard time explaining \uc815 to foreigners because it is not a simple concept to digest without fully knowing the cultural background. I personally had a difficult time to put this unique concept into words.<\/p>\n

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Image by Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n

Although the definition of \uc815 can be different from a person to person, as a native Korean, I infer \uc815 is a special treatment derived from a personal attachment to or closeness with you. This special treatment is considered you being exclusively accepted into a one\u2019s personal inner circle because the person who gives you\uc815 and lowers his\/her personal guards against you.<\/p>\n

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I believe \uc815 is largely related to love. However, \uc815 is a little different notion from a romantic love. When someone says **\uc774\ub7ec\ub2e4 <\/strong>\uc815 <\/strong>\ub4e4\uaca0\uc5b4<\/strong>. (ee-ruh-dah-jeong-deul-get-uh<\/strong>: someone may grow on you), it means that this person feels close to you, as a good friend. \uc815 might also be an emotional seed that leads to a romantic love, but it doesn\u2019t have to refer to a romantic bond.<\/p>\n

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As most Korean moms do, when my mother shares food with her friends, she ends up adding more foods at the end, saying **\ud558\ub098\ub9cc <\/strong>\uc8fc\uba74 <\/strong>\uc815 <\/strong>\uc5c6\uc5b4<\/strong>.(ha-nah-manh-joo-myeon-jeong-up-uh<\/strong>: There is no affection if I give you only one). In this case, \uc815 shows love, friendship, or goodwill. In general. I remember most \ud560\uba38\ub2c8 (hal-money<\/strong>: grandmother) vendors at traditional markets gave me more food items than what I was supposed to get for price. This \uc815 might not be easily understood in western mind-set.<\/p>\n

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**\uc815\ub4e4\uc5c8\ub358 <\/strong>\uac15\uc544\uc9c0\uac00 <\/strong>\uc8fd\uc5b4\uc11c <\/strong>\uc2ac\ud37c.( jeong-deul-ut-dun gang-ah-gee-ka juk-uh-seo seul-puh<\/strong>: I am sad because my puppy I was fond of died.) In this case, you are sad because a dog you have raised has died. In this case, \uc815 indicates an emotional attachment has grown very deeply and you were very fond of the dog.<\/p>\n

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Image by Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n

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\uc815 can be a positive thing, but also can be problematic when a \uacf5 <\/strong>\uacfc <\/strong>\uc0ac(Gong- gwah-sah<\/strong>: public matter and private matter) private feeling is mixed with public matters. For instance, my boss gives my friend a promotion because my boss is personally closed to my friend despite my performance being the best of my team.<\/p>\n

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**\uc815 <\/strong>\ub54c\ubb38\uc5d0 <\/strong>\uc0b0\ub2e4.( jeong-Ttae-moon-ae-san-da<\/strong>: living with\/putting up with someone because of the past history, not love.) When an unhappy married woman says this, \uc815 can be interpreted as a negative comment. For instance, this unhappily married woman has grown sick of her husband over the years, but she stays married to him because either she doesn\u2019t have any other sources to get out of her marriage or she can bear him enough to live under the same roof. It can be interpreted as a blind loyalty, or helpless faith.<\/p>\n

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\uc815 can have many meanings in different circumstances and I have probably explained to you only **\ube59\uc0b0\uc758 <\/strong>\uc77c\uac01(bing-san-eou-ill-kak<\/strong>: the tip of iceberg). In short, you can think of \u00a0\uc815 as someone inviting you in to their personal world and loving you deeply. What do you think of \uc815 now?<\/p>\n

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Glossary<\/p>\n

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  1. **\uc774\ub7ec\ub2e4 <\/strong>\uc815 <\/strong>\ub4e4\uaca0\uc5b4<\/strong>. (ee-ruh-dah-jeong-deul-get-uh<\/strong>: someone will grow on you)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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