안녕하세요, 여러분! Welcome back to TOPIK & Beyond! I’m Eliza, and today we have a fun and interesting episode all about love, dating, and Korea’s unique couple holidays! 💕
You may already know that in many countries, Valentine’s Day is the main romantic holiday. But did you know that in Korea, March 14th, White Day is just as important? And not only that—Korea has a special couple-related holiday on the 14th of every month!
From Kiss Day to Black Day (which is actually for singles!), today we’ll explore how love is celebrated in Korea and teach you some fun Korean phrases along the way. Plus, I’ll share TOPIK-related vocabulary and grammar that can help you in the exam!
🎵 [Cue Music] 🎵
다시 한 번 안녕하세요! Welcome back to another episode of TOPIK & Beyond! 😊
Today’s topic is all about White Day (화이트데이) and Korea’s fun 14th-day traditions. If you’re new to these, don’t worry—I’ll explain everything!
✔️ What is White Day, and how is it different from Valentine’s Day?
✔️ What are the other couple holidays on the 14th of each month?
✔️ Key Korean dating-related vocabulary and romantic phrases
✔️ How this topic connects to TOPIK—especially the reading and listening sections!
Plus, I have a fun listener challenge for you at the end, so stick around! 💙
그럼, 시작할까요? Let’s get started!
Let’s start with White Day (화이트데이)—a holiday celebrated in Korea.
In many places around the world, Valentine’s Day on February 14th is when couples exchange gifts or go on romantic dates. But in Korea, Valentine’s Day is actually the day when women give chocolates to men! 🍫💝
Then, one month later, on March 14th, White Day, it’s the men’s turn to return the favor! 💙 On this day, men give gifts to women—usually sweets like candy, chocolates, or sometimes even bigger presents like flowers, jewelry, or stuffed animals. It’s seen as a way to show appreciation for the Valentine’s Day gifts they received.
But White Day is just one part of Korea’s unique 14th-day couple tradition. In Korea, every 14th of the month has a special meaning, and many of these are connected to relationships, love, or even being single! Let’s go through a few of the most popular ones.
Korea’s 14th-Day Couple Holidays
💖 February 14 – Valentine’s Day (발렌타인데이) → Women give chocolates to men.
💙 March 14 – White Day (화이트데이) → Men return the favor by giving gifts to women.
🖤 April 14 – Black Day (블랙데이) → This one is different! Singles who didn’t receive a gift on Valentine’s Day or White Day gather to eat black bean noodles (짜장면) together and joke about being single.
💋 June 14 – Kiss Day (키스데이) → A day to celebrate love and affection with kisses! 😘
🤗 December 14 – Hug Day (허그데이) → A day where people express warmth and care by hugging their loved ones.
There are many more, like Rose Day, Diary Day, Movie Day, and even Wine Day! Some are widely celebrated, while others are more for fun. But overall, these holidays show how much Korean culture values romance and relationships in a playful way.
So whether you’re celebrating love, friendship, or even being single, there’s a 14th-day holiday for everyone in Korea!
Now that we know about White Day and these couple holidays, let’s learn some useful Korean vocabulary and phrases related to dating and romance. 💕
🎙️ Vocabulary & Phrases – White Day & Korean Romance
Now that we know about White Day and Korea’s unique couple holidays, let’s go over some key vocabulary and fun romantic expressions that will help you talk about dating, relationships, and celebrations in Korean! 💕
📌 Essential Vocabulary: Dating & Relationships
📝 Dating & Romance Terms:
* 사귀다 – to date, to be in a relationship
* 저희는 1년 동안 사귀었어요. (We’ve been dating for a year.)
* 연애 – romantic relationship/dating
* 연애할 때 가장 중요한 것은 믿음이에요. (The most important thing in a relationship is trust.)
* 고백하다 – to confess (one’s feelings)
* 그 사람이 저한테 고백했어요! (That person confessed to me!)
* 선물 – gift, present
* 화이트데이에는 보통 사탕을 선물해요. (On White Day, people usually give candy as a gift.)
* 반지 – ring
* 그는 여자친구에게 예쁜 반지를 선물했어요. (He gave his girlfriend a beautiful ring.)
* 데이트 – date (romantic outing)
* 오늘 데이트할 때 어디 가고 싶어요? (Where do you want to go for our date today?)
* 포옹하다 – to hug
* 그는 그녀를 따뜻하게 포옹했어요. (He gave her a warm hug.)
* 뽀뽀하다 / 키스하다 – to kiss
* 커플들이 키스데이에 뽀뽀를 많이 해요! (Couples kiss a lot on Kiss Day!)
* 짝사랑 – one-sided love, crush
* 짝사랑하는 사람한테 고백할까요? (Should I confess to my crush?)
📌 Fun Romantic Phrases in Korean
💌 Expressing Affection:
* 사랑해요! → "I love you!"
* 너무 보고 싶어요. → "I really miss you."
* 내 이상형은 너야. → "You’re my ideal type."
* 너랑 함께 있으면 행복해. → "I’m happy when I’m with you."
* 우리 오래오래 함께 하자. → "Let’s be together for a long, long time."
💭 Casual Flirty Phrases:
* 나한테 관심 있어요? → "Are you interested in me?"
* 네 눈빛이 너무 예뻐요. → "Your eyes are so beautiful."
* 손 잡아도 돼요? → "Can I hold your hand?"
* 우리 운명인가 봐. → "We must be meant to be."
💔 For Black Day (Singles Day!):
* 나 아직도 솔로야... 😭 → "I’m still single..."
* 올해도 짜장면 먹어야겠다. → "Looks like I’m eating black bean noodles again this year."
* 연애보다 짜장면이 좋아! → "I like jajangmyeon more than dating!" (Joking about enjoying single life)
💡 How This Relates to TOPIK
These words and phrases aren’t just fun to know—they’re actually useful for the TOPIK exam too!
✔️ TOPIK Reading Section: You might see relationship-related vocabulary in comprehension passages.
✔️ TOPIK Listening Section: You’ll often hear casual and romantic conversations in the dialogue questions.
✔️ TOPIK Writing Section: If you need to write about social events, relationships, or cultural traditions, these words will come in handy!
Now that we’ve covered vocabulary and phrases, let’s move on to today’s TOPIK Focus and look at how dating-related grammar and vocabulary might appear in the exam! 😊
🎙️ TOPIK Focus – Listening Practice: Understanding Dating & Relationship Conversations
This week, our TOPIK Focus is on listening practice! 🎧 The TOPIK Listening section (듣기) often includes conversations about social life, relationships, and celebrations—so knowing how to catch key details in romantic or casual dialogues can really help boost your score.
📌 What to Expect in the TOPIK Listening Section
In TOPIK I (Levels 1-2), listening passages are usually simple conversations, like:
🗣️ A: 화이트데이에 뭐 할 거예요?
(What are you doing on White Day?)
🗣️ B: 여자친구한테 사탕을 선물하려고 해요.
(I’m planning to give candy to my girlfriend.)
💡 TIP: In TOPIK I, listen for keywords like 화이트데이, 선물, 데이트, 사탕, 초콜릿 to quickly understand the topic!
In TOPIK II (Levels 3-6), listening passages become longer and more detailed. You might hear:
🗣️ A: 이번 화이트데이에는 특별한 계획 있어요?
(Do you have any special plans for White Day?)
🗣️ B: 네, 여자친구랑 레스토랑에서 저녁을 먹고 선물을 줄 거예요.
(Yes, I’m going to have dinner with my girlfriend at a restaurant and give her a gift.)
🗣️ A: 좋은데요! 무슨 선물을 준비했어요?
(That sounds nice! What gift did you prepare?)
🗣️ B: 반지를 샀어요. 깜짝 선물이에요!
(I bought a ring. It’s a surprise gift!)
💡 TIP: In TOPIK II, pay attention to who is speaking, their relationship, and the event they’re discussing.
🎧 Listening Practice Challenge!
I’m going to say two short dialogues in Korean. Listen carefully and try to catch the main idea!
🗣️ A: 화이트데이에 뭐 할 거예요?
🗣️ B: 남자친구가 저한테 선물을 준다고 했어요!
👉 Question: What is happening in this conversation?
A) The woman is buying a gift for her boyfriend.
B) The man is planning to give her a gift.
C) They are talking about a past holiday.
🗣️ A: 우리 블랙데이에 짜장면 먹으러 갈래요?
🗣️ B: 좋아요! 우리 다 같이 가요!
👉 Question: What are they talking about?
A) A dinner date on White Day
B) A group meal on Black Day
C) A birthday celebration
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📌 TOPIK Listening Study Tips!
✅ Focus on key words. In dating conversations, listen for words like 데이트, 선물, 화이트데이, 커플, 초콜릿, 사탕 to catch the main idea quickly.
✅ Pay attention to who is speaking. The way people talk to each other gives clues about their relationship.
✅ Practice listening to natural speed dialogues. Try watching K-dramas or variety shows with dating-related conversations!
________________
Wow, we covered so much today! 🎉
Now, you know all about White Day and Korea’s 14th-day couple holidays, along with some fun romantic vocabulary and phrases to use in conversations. Plus, we practiced TOPIK listening skills, which will help you catch important details in relationship-related dialogues!
But now, it’s your turn! 💌
📌 Today’s Challenge:
👉 What would be your ideal White Day gift or celebration?
👉 Or, if you’re celebrating Black Day, what’s your go-to 짜장면 (black bean noodles) order? 🍜
💬 Share your answers in the comments on Instagram (@korean.joaacademy) and use #topikandbeyond!
📢 Want to Learn Korean with Me?
If you want personalized Korean lessons, I’d love to help! 🎉
📩 Email me at [email protected]
📩 Or DM me on Instagram @korean.joaacademy
I can’t wait to help you on your Korean learning journey! 💙
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감사합니다, 여러분! Thank you so much for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode! 😊🎙️
