About this episode
Fluent Fiction - Korean: Seoul Seollal: A Tale of Family, Food, and Finding Yourself Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ko/episode/2026-02-28-23-34-02-ko Story Transcript:Ko: ??? ??, ??? ?? ????? ??? ????.En: In the winter of Seoul, when Seollal comes, Gwangjang Market is brimming with energy.Ko: ???? ???? ?? ?? ????? ????.En: People gather closely together, enjoying various foods.Ko: ??, ???? ?? ??? ??? ??? ????.En: Over there, the smells of tteokbokki and hotteok blend together and spread.Ko: ??? ??? ??? ???? ????.En: The square is decorated with warm lanterns.Ko: Jinwoo? Soo-ah? ???? ? ??? ?? ??? ?????.En: Jinwoo and Soo-ah have gathered here to celebrate their grandmother's big birthday.Ko: ??? ?? ??? ?? ?????.En: However, the family gathering feels a bit heavy.Ko: Jinwoo? ??? ??? ?????.En: Jinwoo is desperate for his family's recognition.Ko: ?? ?? ???? ??? ??? ???, ?? ??? ????? ????.En: He works hard in the tech industry, yet he feels like something is still missing.Ko: ?? ? ???? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ? ????.En: Among the family, it seems like his siblings are always above him.Ko: Soo-ah? ??????.En: Soo-ah is a college student.Ko: ??? ??? ??? ?????? ?????. ???? ??? ??? ???? ? ?? ?????.En: She feels uncertain about her future and is uncomfortable with her family seemingly setting her path for her.Ko: ?? ??, ???? ???? ????.En: On the evening of Seollal, the family gathers in one place.Ko: Jinwoo? ??? ??? ???? ???, ???? ?? ??? ??? ?? ??????.En: Jinwoo wants to show his success, but small criticisms and comparisons from the family hold him back.Ko: Soo-ah? ?? ??? ??? ???? ? ?????.En: Soo-ah fears the family might judge her.Ko: ??? ? ??? ?? ??? ??? ???.En: Finally, both find themselves at a crossroads of different choices.Ko: Jinwoo? ???? ?? ????, ??? ??? ?? ???? ???? ???.En: Jinwoo must choose whether to stand up to his family's words or prove himself in another way.Ko: Soo-ah? ??? ?? ??? ???? ??? ?? ???, ??? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?????.En: Soo-ah must decide whether to honestly tell her family about her dreams and anxieties or to quietly go along with what is expected, at least for the moment.Ko: ?? ??? ???, ??? Jinwoo? Soo-ah? ??? ???? ?????.En: As the moment reaches its peak, suddenly Jinwoo and Soo-ah quietly stand up.Ko: Jinwoo? ??? ?? ??? ??? ????? ??????.En: Jinwoo talks to his family about his work and the effort he has put in.Ko: Soo-ah? ??? ?? ??? ??????.En: Soo-ah shares her dreams and concerns
