Dictionary — Entry No. 0738
가지마
gajima · expression
가지마
gajima
[GA-ji-ma]
expressionbeginner
Meaning
가지마 means ‘don’t go’ and is the informal negative imperative of 가다 (to go), formed with the pattern verb stem + -지 마 (don’t do). It conveys urgency, longing, or desperation depending on context — ranging from a playful ‘don’t leave yet’ among friends to a devastated farewell plea.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
EXO released a fan-beloved song literally titled ‘가지마 (Don’t Go)’ that became one of K-pop’s defining emotional ballads and an enduring anthem during members’ mandatory military service hiatuses. The phrase also saturates K-drama farewell scenes — ‘Goblin’ (도깨비) features a devastating 가지마 moment between Eun-tak and Kim Shin that is widely cited as one of the most emotionally powerful scenes in Korean drama history.
Example Sentences
가지마, 제발.
Gajima, jebal.
Don’t go, please. (제발 = please/I beg you; adding jebal dramatically escalates emotional intensity — reserved for genuine desperation)
아직 가지마, 조금만 더 있어.
Ajik gajima, jogeumman deo isseo.
Don’t go yet, stay a little longer. (casual and intimate; the exact kind of line that freezes a K-drama episode just before the end credits roll)
어디 가지마, 내 옆에 있어줘.
Eodi gajima, nae yeophe isseojwo.
Don’t go anywhere, stay by my side. (-줘 adds a warm, pleading softness; common in heartfelt drama confessions between leads)
⚠️ Don’t use gajima when…
가지마 is informal — using it with someone older or in a formal context is rude; the polite form is 가지 마세요 (gaji maseyo). Also, Korean spacing rules mean 가지 마 (two words) and 가지마 (one word) are both accepted in informal writing, so don’t be confused seeing both versions in subtitles or fan translations.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: Goblin: The Lonely and Great God (도깨비) — Eun-tak’s whispered 가지마 to Goblin Kim Shin during their farewell is widely regarded as one of the most emotionally devastating moments in Korean drama history, clipped and reshared by fans for years after the show ended.
- K-Pop: EXO — ‘가지마 (Don’t Go)’ from the 2013 album XOXO, a sweeping ballad where the members plead with a departing lover, and the title phrase itself became K-pop shorthand for the entire genre of aching, longing farewell songs.
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.