kkok (꼭) — Korean Word Meaning

Dictionary — Entry No. 0706

꼭

kkok · adverb

Dictionary beginner

꼭

kkok

[KKOHK]

adverbbeginner

Meaning

꼭 primarily means ‘definitely,’ ‘surely,’ or ‘without fail’ — it emphasizes certainty and necessity. 꼭 해 means ‘you absolutely must do it.’ It has a second meaning: ‘tightly’ or ‘exactly like,’ as in 꼭 안아줘 (hug me tight) or 꼭 ~같다 (looks exactly like~). Same word, two very different flavors depending on context.

K-Pop & K-Drama Context

꼭 is one of K-Drama’s most emotionally loaded adverbs — ‘꼭 돌아와’ (be sure to come back) is a tearful farewell line fans instantly recognize from countless separation scenes. BTS wield 꼭 in lyrics to make solemn promises to ARMY; in ‘Spring Day’ (봄날), the line ‘꼭 다시 만나자’ (let’s definitely meet again) captures longing across time and distance. Stray Kids use 꼭 in emotionally intense tracks to express unyielding determination, making it a word that resonates deeply across 4th-generation K-Pop.

Example Sentences

꼭 올게, 기다려.

Kkok olge, gidaryeo.

I’ll definitely come, wait for me. (a heartfelt promise — this construction carries enormous emotional weight in K-Drama farewell scenes)

이거 꼭 먹어봐야 해.

Igeo kkok meogeobwaya hae.

You absolutely have to try this food. (enthusiastic recommendation — 꼭 ~아/어야 하다 = absolutely must do ~)

꼭 안아줘.

Kkok anajwo.

Hug me tight. (here 꼭 means ‘tightly,’ not ‘definitely’ — a completely different nuance, recognizable in romantic drama scenes)

⚠️ Don’t use kkok when…

English speakers consistently mispronounce ㄲ (ssang-giyeok) as a regular English ‘k’ — it requires throat tension and no air puff, producing a sharp clipped sound; practicing with a mirror helps. Second, fans who only learn ‘꼭 = definitely’ are caught off guard when 꼭 means ‘tightly’ (꼭 안다 = hug tightly) or ‘exactly like’ (꼭 닮았다 = looks exactly like) — these alternate meanings appear constantly in subtitles.

🎵 Heard In

K-Drama: Goblin (Guardian: The Lonely and Great God) — ‘꼭 돌아와’ echoes through the drama’s most heartbreaking farewell and reunion sequences between the Goblin and Ji Eun-tak
K-Pop: BTS — ‘Spring Day’ (봄날) uses ‘꼭 다시 만나자’ as a promise of reunion, making 꼭 one of the most emotionally recognized Korean words in the ARMY fandom

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.

AdSense
300×250
Sidebar