How to say I MISS YOU in Korean

"I miss you" in Korean is 보고싶다 (bogoshipda). It can also mean "I want to see."

Another way to say "I miss you" is 보고싶어 (bogoshipuh). This is informal, so use it towards friends, those your age and younger than you, and to your sweetheart, of course. Here are some examples on how to use 보고싶어 (bogoshipuh):

당신, 보고싶어. 나 보고싶어?
Dangshin, bogoshipuh. Na bogoshipuh?
Honey, I miss you. Do you miss me?
(informal)

나도 너 보고싶어.
Nado nuh bogoshipuh.
I miss you, too.
(informal)

얼만큼 보고싶어?
Ulmankeum bogoshipuh?
How much do you miss me?
(informal)

보고싶어 (bogoshipuh) is used in Zion.T's "Eat" music video:

Make 보고싶어 (bogoshipuh) formal by adding 요 (yo) at the end: 보고싶어요 (bogoshipuhyo). Use the formal version towards those older than you. Couples who use formal language to one another will also use this version. Examples:

할머니, 보고싶어요.
Halmoni, bogoshipuhyo.
Grandma, I miss you.
(formal)

할아버지도 보고싶어요.
Harabuhjido bogoshipuhyo.
Grandpa, I miss you, too.
(formal)

가족 다 보고싶어요.
Gajok da bogoshipuhyo.
I miss the whole family.
(formal)

Listen for 보고싶어요 (bogoshipuhyo) in Gummy's "I'm Sorry" music video. It features T.O.P. from Big Bang:

Remember, 보고싶어 (bogoshipuh) also means "I want to see," so it can be applied to non-human things.

너 춤추는거 보고싶어!
Nuh choom-choo-neun-guh bogoshipuh!
I want to see you dance!
(informal)

에펠 탑을 보고싶어.
Ehpel tahpeul bogoshipuh.
I want to see the Eiffel Tower.
(informal)

쌍무지개도 보고싶어!
Ssangmoojigaedo bogoshipuh!
I also want to see a double rainbow!
(informal)

무슨 영화 보고싶어?
Mooseun younghwa bogoshipuh?
Which movie do you want to see?
(informal)

난 "캐리비안의 해적” 보고싶어.
Nan “Kaeribianui haejuck” bogoshipuh.
I want to see “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
(informal)

What if you don’t miss someone or don’t want to see them?

남친 보고싶지 않니?
Namchin bogoshipji ahnni?
Don’t you want to see your boyfriend?
(informal)

보고싶지 않아.
Bogoshipji ahnna.
I don’t want to see him.
(informal)

왜 안 보고싶어?
Wae ahn bogoshipuh?
Why don’t you want to see him?
(informal)

그냥 안 보고싶어.
Geunyang ahn bogoshipuh.
I just don’t want to see him.
(informal)

아, 너희들 싸웠어?
Ah, nuhhuideul ssawussuh?
Ah, did you guys fight?
(informal)

The very formal and rarely used version of I MISS YOU is 보고싶습니다.

The cutesy aegyo way to say “I miss you” is: 보고싶어용 (bogoshipuhyong). 용 (yong) is placed at the end of a phrase to make things sound cutesy. Another aegyo way to say I MISS YOU is 보고파 (bogopa). Which almost sounds like 배고파 (baegopa/I’m hungry.). 보고파 (bogopa) is the title of Kpop songs by BTOB and Tiny-J (see below).

In Tiny-J’s song, they pronounce "bogopah" as "bogofah" with an F to sound super duper cute. I recommend you don’t overuse the cute versions. Every once in a while can be fun. Use it too much and people around you may cringe!

The more poetic way to say “I miss you” is 그리워 (geuriwo). Use this phrase when talking about a non-living thing or memory. 그리워 (geuriwo) is informal. Add 요 (yo) at the end to make it formal. Add a subject in front of this phrase to be specific of what you're missing. Examples:

한국이 그리워요.
Hangookee geuriwoyo.
I miss Korea.
(formal)

캘리포니아가 그리워요.
Kel-lee-po-ni-ah-ga geuriwoyo.
I miss California.
(formal)

대학 시절이 그리워요.
Daehak shijuhlee geuriwoyo.
I miss those college days.
(formal)

Hope you enjoyed this week's Korean lesson. Tune in on my YouTube channel next Wednesday for more educational goodies!

ps: When I hear the word 보고싶다 (bogoshipda), I often think of Kim Bum Soo's famous song. My Korean friends still sing it at karaoke even though the tune was released in 2003. That's well over ten years ago! Classic. Here's the song:

Ginseng Chicken Soup at SGD Tofu House

Sam-gye-tang. Ginseng chicken soup. Koreans typically eat this on the hottest of summer days. It's thought that as the heat wears you out, samgyetang would re-energize you. Me personally, I prefer consuming it on rainy evenings. As the sun sets, darkness blankets across the horizon. The world feels cold and unwelcoming, but a bubbling pot of samgyetang in your stomach will make everything feel like family.

Open for seventeen years as of 2016, it is said SGD Tofu House is the first soondubu shop to open in Santa Clara's Koreatown. Since its establishment other branches have opened in NorCal. They are known for their tofu soup as it suggests in their name. They also offer savory pancakes, bibimbap, and barbecue.

What does SGD stand for? In Singapore, those letters stand for "Singapore Dollar." However if you google it, the first link that pops up is "Saccharomyces Genome Database." In our situation, SGD means "So Gong Dong," a business district in Seoul, South Korea. Sogongdong is near the Deoksugung Palace and Gwanghwamun Square. I once went to a samgyetang shop there once. They served ginseng wine with the soup. Samgyetang and alcohol in the stomach = drunk chicken.

Common banchan of seasoned sprouts, japchae, kimchi, and fishcakes.

Upon ordering, out comes a set of complimentary banchan (side dishes). A common occurrence at traditional Korean eateries.

Up close and personal with Napa Cabbage Kimchi.

Their Napa Cabbage Kimchi is not sweet, which is a big deal. A huge deal. Many Korean restaurants around here make sweet kimchi, so I appreciate SGD for keeping it authentic.

Seasoned sprout.

The Seasoned Sprout is sesame-oily, making it my favorite side dish of this meal. The Japchae is lightly seasoned. If you're health-conscious, it's the type of flavor you wouldn't mind eating on a daily basis. The Fishcake also falls in the same category. The Seasoned Seaweed is spunky with its sweet and sour. The Water Kimchi (dyed pink with beet, I believe) is delightfully refreshing. It's ideal for a spring and summer day, but can be equally enjoyed during cold weather.

Of all the banchan, my favorite is the Seasoned Sprout and Water Kimchi.

Family of banchan.

Mushroom soondubu (tofu soup).

My mother gets her boiling bowl of mushroom soodubu, which looks more bold than it tastes. The bright red color makes it appear so spicy. I try a spoonful, expecting my ears to tingle. My eyes hyped my taste buds up. The tofu soup is actually quite bland. That famous quote runs through my head: never judge a book by its cover! One can't help but judge, so be prepared for surprise.

Why hello there, samgyetang!

Inside the standard samgyetang contains white rice and garlic. In my bowl there is five or six cloves! I lost count. There might've been more. As expected, the meat falls right off the bones. The bones, you can bite into and break apart as well. Watch out for those pieces of ginseng. If you are curious, have a bite. Discover how bitter it is. If you're having a bad day, take a bite of ginseng. More likely than not, your day is probably less bitter than ginseng.

Water in stone bowl of rice to be enjoyed later.

The rice comes in a stone bowl. Your server will scoop it out into smaller individual bowls. Water is poured into the stone bowl and later you shall enjoy what is to be burnt rice. In our case, the rice wasn't burnt at all. If burnt, the rice and water mixture will taste toasty.

My mother and I dined on an early Friday night. By the time we left, SGD Tofu House was filled with families--mostly parents with young children. After paying your bill, grab a candy for the road.

SGD Tofu House
(408) 261-3030
3450 El Camino Real, Ste 105
Santa Clara, CA 95051
Website

SGD Tofu House (Blossom Valley)
(408) 227-8583
832 Blossom Hill Rd
San Jose, CA 95123

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Legit Kimbap & Grocery Shopping at Hankook Market

This week on "Kingdom Koreatown," my mother and I give you a tour of Hankook Market. A couple weeks ago we went to Kyo Po Market. Both Korean grocery stores are recommended for different reasons. Depending on what product you're looking for, you would go to either. Some Korean restaurants shop at all the Korean markets for a particular ingredient.

Looking towards dried goods and fresh produce.

The banchan (Korean side dishes) are set up in a very inviting manner. Near the fresh produce and mini food court, a wide range of seasoned vegetables and marinated meats are divided into a couple stations. I like to refer to the longest station as the "Side Dish Palace." What a pleasure for the eye to observe!

Side Dish Palace. What a tasty rainbow :)

I advise shopping towards the noon and later in the day. Early in the day, side dishes are still being prepared. When my mother and I strolled in around 10:30am, several containers were empty. But don't come too late in the day either. They'll be gone, digesting in the people who beat you to them.

Seasoned lotus.

Yum yum in the tum tum.

Glistening meats in the cooked food section.

The food stations at a glance.

Can't wait to go home and eat your colorful side dishes? Head on over to the HK Super Deli, a small food shop at the back. They sell some of the tastiest Kimbap I've ever eaten! You don't have to be in Korea to have legitimately delicious Korean food. It's not about where it's made; it's about who made it.

Take the Kimbap rolls to-go or have a seat in the dining area. Take a look at the menu. The classic Korean dishes, including Bibimbap and Nengmyeon, are so affordable. All under $10 USD!

Stacks of kimbap ready to go. Come to mama!

Considering how tasty the Korean rolls are, I'm excited to try the Bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) on our next visit! Sure, we could've ordered every single item just for the sake of trying, but these foods wouldn't taste as yummy if taken to-go. Kimbap can maintain its flavor and structure, but fried food, not as much.

Bindaetteok and jeon. Mung bean pancakes and savory Korean pancakes.

My mother orders a bowl of Udon and two rolls of Kimbap. Don't forget to ask for a smaller bowl if you plan on sharing.

The Napa Cabbage Kimchi that comes with the noodles ranks on the top ten kimchi I've tried in Northern California. Slightly fermented. Made with love and care like the kimbap. You can taste it.

Udon with kimchi and kimbap.

The Udon is simple and clean. The star ingredient I say is the spongy fried tofu. What a delight whenever you bite into a piece.

Baby bowl of udon.

Of the items we tried, the Kimbap still outshines them all. Each slice is bigger than your average kimbap. But you won't mind having fat cheeks while chewing on them. Their taste is worth looking chubby!

Vegetarian kimbap. So good you won't care that there's no meat in it (if you're big on protein).

Need a generous jar of kimchi? Rice cakes? There's no shortage. Native Koreans and foreigners alike can depend on Hankook Market. Ah yes, if you're not Korean, don't be shy. You'll be welcome here. During my visit I saw Chinese and Middle Eastern families as well. After all, this is America.

The kimchi section with random decorative leaves above.

For those of you who love dessert, welcome to rice cake heaven.

The storefront.

Hankook Market
(408) 244-0871
1092 E El Camino Real
Sunnyvale, CA 94087

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