Dictionary — Entry No. 0655
잊지마
ijji-ma · verb
잊지마
ijji-ma
[eet-jee-mah]
verbbeginner
Meaning
An imperative phrase meaning ‘don’t forget,’ formed from 잊다 (itda, to forget) with the negative imperative ending -지 마 (-ji ma). It carries urgency and emotional weight, appearing in heartfelt farewells, desperate confessions, and final moments between people who fear separation.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
Ijji-ma (잊지마) is a beloved staple in K-Pop ballads and drama OSTs because it encapsulates the fear of being erased from someone’s memory. 2NE1’s iconic track ‘잊어버리지마’ built an entire emotional landscape around this plea, and countless groups have returned to the phrase in emotional song bridges. At live concerts, when an artist looks at the crowd and says 잊지마, the moment becomes electric — a shared promise between idol and fan.
Example Sentences
나 잊지마, 알았지?
na ijji-ma, arajtji?
Don’t forget me, okay? (a vulnerable farewell — the 알았지 asks for acknowledgment)
우리 처음 만난 날 잊지마.
uri cheoeum mannan nal ijji-ma.
Don’t forget the day we first met. (romantic and nostalgic — common in anniversary lyrics)
이 순간을 절대 잊지마.
i sunganeul jeoldae ijji-ma.
Never forget this moment. (said at concerts, graduations, or turning-point scenes)
⚠️ Don’t use ijji-ma when…
잊지마 uses 잊 (with a silent final ㅈ), but it sounds like ‘it’ — many learners misspell it as 잇지마 or 익지마. Also, the polite form is 잊지 마세요 (ijji maseyo) — use it with anyone you’d address with -요 endings.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: Crash Landing on You — Yoon Se-ri’s whispered 잊지마 to Ri Jeong-hyeok before a forced separation became one of the drama’s most replayed and heartbreaking scenes.
- K-Pop: 2NE1 — 잊어버리지마 (Don’t Forget)
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.