Dictionary — Entry No. 0633
생각
saenggak · noun
생각
saenggak
[seng-GAK]
nounbeginner
Meaning
생각 means ‘thought,’ ‘idea,’ or ‘thinking’—both the mental process of considering something and its result. It is one of the most frequently used words in Korean, appearing in everyday small talk, deep philosophical reflection, and emotional confession alike. The verb 생각하다 (saenggakada) means ‘to think,’ and the tender phrase ‘네 생각이 나’ (ne saenggagi na) means ‘I’m thinking of you.’
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
생각 is the quiet engine of K-Drama emotion—characters trail off with ‘네 생각이 나’ when overcome with longing. Stray Kids explore the exhausting spiral of overthinking in ‘Miroh’ and ‘S-Class,’ wrestling with the weight of their own 생각. In ‘Goblin,’ Gong Yoo’s character delivers lines heavy with centuries of accumulated 생각 about love and loss.
Example Sentences
네 생각이 나.
ne saenggagi na.
I’m thinking of you. / You came to mind. (Romantic and heartfelt—one of K-Drama’s most used confessions)
무슨 생각 해?
museun saenggak hae?
What are you thinking about? (Casual, often curious or gently worried question)
좋은 생각이야!
joeun saenggagiya!
That’s a great idea! (생각 used as ‘idea’—a positive reaction to a suggestion)
⚠️ Don’t use saenggak when…
1) 생각나다 (saenggaknaeda) means a thought surfaces naturally on its own, while 생각하다 (saenggakada) means to actively think—subtitles often merge both as ‘think,’ but native speakers feel the difference. 2) ‘네 생각해’ can mean both ‘I’m thinking of you’ AND ‘think about it / your call’—tone and context decide which, so don’t automatically read it as romantic.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: Goblin (쓸쓸하고 찬란하神 – 도깨비) — Kim Shin’s eternal 생각 about those he has loved and lost across nine hundred years gives the drama its hauntingly beautiful emotional core.
- K-Pop: Stray Kids — Miroh
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.