culture

Jeong in Korean: Affection, Attachment and the Context Behind a Word

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Pixel art of a Korean grandmother handing a jar of kimchi to a younger person in a cozy home, symbolizing familial Jeong.

Jeong, written 정, can describe affection or attachment built through relationships and shared experience. A single English word may not fit every sentence, but that does not make the feeling inaccessible to people outside Korea. In this guide Start with a full expression Describe the relationship rather than a national trait Keep care and boundaries … Read more

Talking with Korean Grandmothers: Personal Histories, Respect and Consent

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Pixel art of a Korean grandmother in a hanbok making kimchi in a warm kitchen, jars of fermented vegetables on shelves, steam rising from a pot.

Halmeoni, 할머니, can mean grandmother or refer to an older woman in context. Korean grandmothers have varied lives, opinions and relationships. Their experiences deserve individual attention rather than a claim that they all embody one set of lessons. In this guide Ask how the person wants to be addressed Invite a specific story Separate memory … Read more