Dictionary — Entry No. 0676
미워요
miwoyo · verb
미워요
miwoyo
[mee-WOH-yoh]
verbbeginner
Meaning
I hate you / I dislike you — the polite present tense of the irregular adjective-verb 밉다. Despite its literal meaning, in K-Pop and K-Drama contexts it’s frequently used playfully between close people, functioning almost like a tsundere ‘I hate that I like you’ expression.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
미워요 is iconic for its dual emotional register — genuine hurt feelings AND cute, pouting affection. BLACKPINK members have used it playfully toward each other in reality content, and the phrase is a staple of K-Drama moments where a character is too proud to admit they’re in love, so they say 미워요 through tears instead.
Example Sentences
오빠, 미워요!
Oppa, miwoyo!
Oppa, I hate you! (playful pout, not genuinely angry — tone makes all the difference)
진짜 미워. 왜 그랬어?
Jinjja miwo. Wae geuraesseo?
I really hate you. Why did you do that? (genuine hurt feelings)
미워도 보고 싶어.
Miwo do bogo sipeo.
Even though I hate you, I miss you. (classic K-Drama line capturing complicated feelings)
⚠️ Don’t use miwoyo when…
밉다 conjugates irregularly — the ㅂ changes to 워, making it 미워 (not 밉아). This ㅂ-irregular rule catches many learners off guard. Second, distinguish 미워요 (disliking a person) from 싫어요 (not wanting something / general dislike) — they overlap but 미워요 is specifically directed at people and carries more emotional weight.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: My Love from the Star (별에서 온 그대) — Cheon Song-yi tearfully says 미워요 to Do Min-joon after he pushes her away to protect her, encapsulating the bittersweet push-pull at the drama’s heart.
- K-Pop: BLACKPINK — Lovesick Girls
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.