Common Korean Terminology/Other Terms

A

* **Aigo** (아이고): pronounced "ah ee go", "aigo" or "aigoo". It is a slang for an exclamation that is used almost exclusively among the older generation (A Korean grandparent will often use it). Younger people generally use other forms of exclamations such as: heol! (헐!) or daebak! (대박!) - for surprise, disbelief, etc), Assa! (아싸!- for some achievement or sth), ummuh (어머! - for surprise (mostly used by women only). It roughly translates to "geez; oh my; oh well; oh my god (OMG), " but it is a bit more complicated as it can express many different emotions such as when expressing pity, worry, fear, frustration, tiredness, pain ("ouch"), welcoming a person in a welcoming manner, when someone else gets hurt, dismissing something/someone, to give some emphasis, when someone is surprised (Oh!) or shock and when someone passes away. In English, it is also similar to “shit” in its usage but without the profanity element.] [So when The Best Swordsman uses it, it is to further emphasise his age as he is portrayed as an old man in the series] [야 is a a casual title used at the end of names. It usually connotes very close personal relationship and is used only between close friends and people who are familiar with each other, and its use between strangers or distant acquaintances would be considered extremely rude

C

* **Chaebol** (재벌): Literally meaning "Rich Family". A type of family run business conglomerate. Members of that family are often called chaebols. For example, Giga is a chaebol and the Han family are Chaebols.

M

* **MacGuffin** (맥거핀): In fiction, a **MacGuffin** (sometimes **McGuffin**) is an object, device, or event that is necessary to the plot and the motivation of the characters, but insignificant, unimportant, or irrelevant in itself. The term was originated by Angus MacPhail for film, adopted by Alfred Hitchcock, and later extended to a similar device in other fiction. The MacGuffin technique is common in films, especially thrillers. Usually, the MacGuffin is revealed in the first act, and thereafter declines in importance. It can reappear at the climax of the story but may actually be forgotten by the end of the story. Multiple MacGuffins are sometimes derisively identified as plot coupons.

T

* **Tteokbap** (떡밥): literal meaning is "**paste bait**". (1) Originally used to describe the paste bait used to catch fish. (2) It is a metaphor to describe something popular and hot like a hot topic, hot issue, or hot information that will catch people's interest, particularly on the internet (2) 떡밥 is also a slang used in creative works/fiction such as films, novels, comics and movies. It is method of suggesting to the viewer that there are questions or hidden elements in the unfolding of the story. It is a narrative technique that arouses the curiosity of the viewer and makes them anticipate what will happen next. It can be translated as "**foreshadowing**" or "Easter egg" in English. A lot of "paste baits" can be sprinkled
* **Mihoesu** **Tteokbap** (미회수 떡밥): Literally means "**unrecovered paste baits**". A word often referred to as a bait in fiction, manga, etc. meaning that it is not revealed until the end of the story among things that readers may be curious about. So basically they are "baits" that amount to nothing.
* **Tteokbap Hoesu** (떡밥 회수): Literally means "**Paste Bait Recovery**". In creative works such as comics and novels, it refers to providing a bait that arouses the reader's interest in the story development and revealing this secret later. In Japanese, it is called 伏 line回収 (double track recovery). In Korea, the collection of rice cakes is sometimes called ' harvest '(추수), so Steven Moffat is also nicknamed 'the king of harvest'(추수왕).