Dictionary — Entry No. 0728
배가 고파요
baega-gopayo · expression
배가 고파요
baega-gopayo
[BAY-gah-GO-pah-yo]
expressionbeginner
Meaning
A simple, polite phrase meaning ‘I’m hungry,’ built from 배가 (stomach + subject marker 가) + 고파요 (the polite form of 고프다, to be hungry/empty). Korean physically locates hunger in the belly — it’s the stomach that is empty, not an abstract personal state.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
Food is central to Korean culture and K-Drama storytelling — characters express love through cooking, and meal scenes carry the emotional weight of entire arcs. 배가 고파요 is a gateway phrase for Korean learners because it appears in virtually every slice-of-life drama and in idol content. Stray Kids literally named a hit song and album concept after Korean food culture, and idol mukbang (먹방, eating broadcast) content — where this phrase is heard constantly — has its own massive global audience.
Example Sentences
배가 고파요. 뭐 먹을까요?
Baega gopayo. Mwo meogeulkkayo?
I’m hungry. What should we eat? (the most natural daily opening to any meal decision — simple and very common)
연습하고 나서 배가 너무 고파요.
Yeonseupago naseo baega neomu gopayo.
After practicing, I’m so hungry. (idol context — long practice sessions followed by big group meals are a K-Pop staple)
드라마 보다가 배가 고파져서 치킨 시켰어요.
Deurama bodaga baega gopajyeoseo chikin sikyeosseoyo.
I got hungry watching the drama and ordered fried chicken. (the quintessential Korean late-night binge-watching ritual)
⚠️ Don’t use baega-gopayo when…
배가 고파요 uses the subject marker 가 after 배 (stomach) — dropping it to 배 고파요 is very natural in casual speech. The critical mistake is confusing 고프다 (hungry/empty) with 아프다 (apeuda, to hurt or be sick): 배가 아파요 (baega apayo) means ‘my stomach hurts,’ which is entirely different from being hungry.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (갯마을 차차차) — the food scenes between Yoon Hye-jin (Shin Min-a) and Hong Du-sik (Kim Seon-ho) are central to their slow-burn romance, with 배가 고파요 kicking off some of the drama’s most charming moments.
- K-Pop: Stray Kids — God’s Menu (신메뉴)
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.