Dictionary — Entry No. 0632
기분
gibun · noun
기분
gibun
[gee-BOON]
nounbeginner
Meaning
기분 refers to one’s mood, feeling, or emotional state at a given moment—less about deep lasting emotion and more about the ambient feeling one is experiencing right now. It can describe a good mood (기분 좋다, gibun jota), a bad mood (기분 나쁘다, gibun nappeuda), or simply the overall emotional atmosphere of a moment. Asking ‘기분 어때?’ (gibun eottae?) is a common and caring way to check in on someone.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
기분 captures a personal, momentary emotional vibe that is central to Korean social interaction. TWICE’s upbeat discography is practically engineered to improve your 기분, while IU’s introspective ballads sit with the low 기분 of heartbreak and longing. In ‘It’s Okay to Not Be Okay,’ characters learn to name and share their 기분 openly as part of their healing journeys.
Example Sentences
오늘 기분이 어때?
oneul gibuni eottae?
How are you feeling today? / What’s your mood like? (Warm, everyday emotional check-in)
기분 좋다!
gibun jota!
I’m in such a good mood! / This feels amazing! (Spontaneous exclamation of positive feeling)
왜 기분이 이렇게 나빠?
wae gibuni ireoke nappa?
Why is my mood so bad? (Said to oneself or a friend when emotions crash unexpectedly)
⚠️ Don’t use gibun when…
1) 기분 나쁘다 literally means ‘my feeling is bad,’ but Koreans also use it to mean ‘I’m offended’ or ‘that rubbed me the wrong way’—in context it can sound much stronger than just being in a bad mood. 2) Don’t confuse 기분 (gibun, mood) with 기억 (gieok, memory)—both begin with 기 and flood K-Drama dialogue, but they describe entirely different inner experiences.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (사이코지만 괜찮아) — Moon Gang-tae and Ko Moon-young’s journey centers on learning to honestly name and share their 기분 as an act of vulnerability and healing.
- K-Pop: TWICE — Feel Special
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.