Dictionary — Entry No. 0687
믿을 수 없어
mideul-su-eopseo · expression
믿을 수 없어
mideul-su-eopseo
[mi-deul su UPS-eo]
expressionbeginner
Meaning
믿을 수 없어 (mideul su eopseo) means ‘I can’t believe it’ or ‘unbelievable,’ expressing shock, disbelief, or astonishment. It breaks down as 믿다 (midda, to believe) + 을 수 없다 (eul su eopda, cannot do something), introducing learners to a highly productive Korean grammatical pattern.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
This expression is a staple of K-Drama climax moments — in Twenty-Five Twenty-One and Our Beloved Summer, characters deliver 믿을 수 없어 at pivotal emotional reveals that fans replay endlessly. aespa members used variations of this phrase in fan communications after their surprise chart performance for Next Level went viral globally. Stray Kids members have been filmed saying it in reaction to elaborate surprise fan projects during world tour stops.
Example Sentences
믿을 수 없어! 정말이야?
Mideul su eopseo! Jeonmariya?
I can’t believe it! Is it real? (Shocked reaction to surprising good news — fast and breathless delivery)
이런 일이 생길 줄은 믿을 수 없었어.
Ireon iri saengil juneun mideul su eopseosseo.
I couldn’t have believed something like this would happen. (Reflecting on an unexpected event — past tense form)
너무 잘해서 믿을 수 없어.
Neomu jalhasseo mideul su eopseo.
You did so well I can’t believe it. (Complimenting someone’s impressive performance with genuine awe)
⚠️ Don’t use mideul-su-eopseo when…
믿을 수 없어 is casual banmal — in polite or formal contexts you must add 요: 믿을 수 없어요 (mideul su eopsseoyo). Also, learners sometimes confuse 믿다 (midda, to believe/trust) with 믿음 (mideum, faith/trust as a noun) — they share the same root but function very differently in sentences.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: Twenty-Five Twenty-One — Na Hee-do whispers 믿을 수 없어 during a victory moment that became one of the most-clipped and emotionally discussed scenes from the entire series.
- K-Pop: aespa — Next Level
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.