Dictionary — Entry No. 0560
얼굴
eolgul · noun
얼굴
eolgul
[UL-gool]
nounbeginner
Meaning
Means ‘face.’ Beyond the physical face, 얼굴 carries social weight — 얼굴이 두껍다 (thick face) means shameless, and 얼굴을 비추다 means to make an appearance somewhere. In Korean culture, face is tied to identity, reputation, and social presence.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
K-Pop fandom culture is deeply engaged with idols’ 얼굴, from fan-site close-up photos to viral ‘face genius’ debates. aespa’s Karina is frequently called an 얼굴 천재 (face genius) by fans. In ‘My Love from the Star,’ Do Min-joon’s impossibly perfect 얼굴 is a recurring plot device that female characters can’t resist.
Example Sentences
얼굴이 너무 예뻐요.
Eolguri neomu yeppeoyo.
Your face is so pretty. (A common compliment — fans shower idols with this in comment sections.)
얼굴을 씻었어요.
Eolgureul ssisseosseoyo.
I washed my face. (Straightforward daily use — skincare talk is huge in K-Pop fan culture.)
얼굴이 빨개졌어요.
Eolguri ppalgaejyeosseoyo.
My face turned red. (Used for blushing from embarrassment or flattery — beloved in fan fiction.)
⚠️ Don’t use eolgul when…
얼굴 (face) is different from 표정 (facial expression) — fans sometimes mix these up when describing idol reactions. Also, 얼굴마담 means a ‘face’ or figurehead representative, a figurative use far from the literal meaning.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: My Love from the Star — Do Min-joon’s alien-perfect 얼굴 is referenced so often it became a running joke and plot point throughout the series.
- K-Pop: aespa — ‘Spicy’ (Karina’s 얼굴 dominates fan discussion and ‘face genius’ rankings across all major K-Pop communities)
ℹ️ Editorial Note: The cultural context and example usage are for educational reference only. Artist names, song titles, and drama references are used descriptively to illustrate vocabulary in context. This content is AI-assisted and reviewed for accuracy. For official information, please refer to the respective artists’ or studios’ official channels.