Dictionary — Entry No. 0801
설레다
seolleoda · verb/adjective
설레다
seolleoda
[suhl-LAY-dah]
verb/adjectiveintermediate
Meaning
“To feel excited anticipation” or “to flutter”—describes the nervous, giddy sensation in your chest when looking forward to something, especially romantic encounters. That butterflies-in-stomach feeling specific to anticipatory excitement.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
Quintessential K-Pop and K-Drama emotion—TWICE’s “Super Shy” is entirely about seolleoda feelings. NewJeans captures this delicate nervousness in approaching romance. Central to Korean emotional vocabulary for romantic contexts.
Example Sentences
마음이 설렌다
ma-umi seolleun-da
My heart flutters/is excited (internal romantic response)
너를 만날 생각에 설렌다
neoreul mannal saenggak-e seolleun-da
I’m excited thinking about meeting you (anticipation)
자꾸 설렌다
jakku seolleun-da
I keep feeling this excited anticipation (repeated nervousness)
⚠️ Don’t use seolleoda when…
Often confused with simple happiness—seolleoda is specifically nervous/giddy excitement, not plain joy. Native speakers recognize the distinct emotional nuance. Different emotional weight than cheerfulness.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: Boys Over Flowers — constantly depicts the seolleoda feeling between leads during romantic moments.
- K-Pop: NewJeans — Attention, Baby!
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.