"Does 'Geumil' Mean Friday?"... Why Literacy Controversies Are Growing [Curiosity Lab]

Recently, a YouTube channel posted a job announcement stating the number of recruits as "0." The intent was to hire "0" people who are passionate, regardless of gender, age, or experience. Here, "0" refers to a single-digit number, meaning any number from 1 to 9. However, some netizens took it literally, interpreting "0" as not hiring anyone at all. They questioned, "Why post a job ad if you’re hiring zero people?" As it was pointed out that "0" did not mean zero hires and a literacy controversy arose, critics argued, "If that's the case, why not just say 'a few' instead of using '0' and causing confusion?"

◆ "Zero Recruits," "Ikil," "Samga," and Other Literacy Controversies Over Time

An edited screenshot of a conversation about Geumil, well known as an example of the literacy controversy

Literacy controversies are not new. Here, "not new" does not literally mean "yesterday and today," but rather that such issues have existed for a long time. Another example is "Geumil." Various online communities have shared KakaoTalk conversations about this term. When someone wrote, "Please reply by Geumil," the recipient mistook "Geumil" for Friday. In fact, "Geumil" (今日) uses the character for "now" (今) and means "today." It is different from the "Geum" (金) in Friday. So, "Geumil lunch menu" means today's lunch menu.

"Myungil" (明日) means tomorrow, as it refers to the day the sun rises again. "Ikil" (翌日) is similar but refers to the next day, not necessarily tomorrow. For example, in parcel delivery, "Ikil delivery" means delivery on the day after the order or payment date. If business hours are from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Ikil, it means from 11 a.m. on the current day to 1 a.m. the next day. If you missed a flight departing on May 8 and the airline says, "We will inform you about the flight departing on the morning of Ikil," it means a flight departing on the morning of May 9. "Jakil" (昨日) uses the character for "yesterday" (昨). So, "according to what was reported on Jakil" means "according to what was reported yesterday." Some might wonder why things have to be so complicated.

One could just use "yesterday," "today," "tomorrow," or specific days or dates. Still, knowing is better than not knowing. When referring to a "golden holiday," everyone knows that a ten-day holiday means 10 days. However, "saheul" (three days) does not mean four days, even though "sa" means four; it means three days, while "naheul" means four days. "Sana heul" means taking three or four days off. Expressions like "one or two items" (1 or 2), "two or three items" (2 or 3), "three or four items" (3 or 4), and "neodeot" (four or five items) are still generally understood.

Edited conversation showing the request for a bankbook photo and the photo of the bankbook cover taken in response.

The most commonly used condolence phrase in funeral messages is "Samga goinui myungbok-eul bimnida" (We respectfully wish for the deceased’s peace). What does "Samga" mean? "Samgada" means to be careful with one's behavior or words. The correct form is "Samga," not "Samgahada," and "Samgajuseyo," not "Samgahajuseyo." In the phrase "Simsimhan wiro-ui malsseum-eul deurimnida" (I offer my deepest condolences), "simsim" does not mean "bored" but comes from "simshim" (甚深), meaning "very deep." It expresses profound sympathy. The same goes for Sino-Korean words like "gagyeol" and "bugyeol." "Gagyeol" means a decision or resolution has been made, i.e., it passed. In English, "gagyeol" and "bugyeol" correspond to "yes" and "no."

◆ Some Idiomatic Expressions Take on Negative Connotations Due to Changing Social Perceptions

Some misunderstandings arise not from literacy issues but from taking idiomatic expressions too literally. During a part-time job recruitment process, an HR manager asked a job seeker to send photos of their bankbook and ID. The applicant sent a photo of the bankbook cover, only to have their application withdrawn with the comment, "I can't work with someone like this." In the past, a "bankbook copy" (meaning a photocopy, not the original) was sent by fax, referring to the first inside page showing the account number and account holder, not the cover.

As times change, some expressions are avoided due to potential misunderstandings. For example, "tteogeul chinda," which used to mean "this is enough," is now rarely used because it also refers vulgarly to sexual intercourse. In the past, a male lawmaker used the expression "jilcheokgeorinda" (to be clingy), and a female lawmaker protested, saying it made her feel sexually humiliated, sparking controversy. While "jilcheokgeorinda" can refer to someone clinging in a romantic relationship, the person who used it claimed he meant it in a completely different way (the opposite of being neat). "Botmul" (water pooled in a weir or overflowing from a weir) literally means something pouring out forcefully, but for those who interpret it sexually, it can be considered harassment.

Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, is taking a commemorative photo with participants at the '10 Minutes a Day Reading' Declaration Ceremony of the Book Wave Parent Action Group held on May 9 at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education]

An issue that is still trending in various online communities is the "body part that grows six times larger." During a lecture, a professor asked students to name a body part that can grow six times larger under certain conditions and to explain those conditions. One female student reacted angrily, calling it an indecent question and threatening to report the professor. Another female student answered, "the pupil of the eye," explaining, "because it dilates in the dark." The professor confirmed this was correct and told the embarrassed student three things: to participate sincerely in class, to keep her mind clear, and that she would inevitably be disappointed someday if she continued to believe the misconception that something else grows six times larger.

◆ Yu Inchon and Cho Hee-yeon: "Let’s Improve Literacy Skills"

"In the past, when the internet was not as developed as it is now, it was common to see people reading books on public transportation. However, in the digital era, most of us spend our commuting or break times using mobile phones and receive most information through digital devices. For students, often called digital natives because they are said to be born with a phone in hand, this trend is even more pronounced. Naturally, they find it difficult to read long sentences and prefer short-form content, which is brief and concise, over watching an entire drama or movie."

This was the statement made by Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, at a press conference held at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on May 9. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has decided to launch the "BookWave" reading campaign. Specifically, students can participate in activities such as "Morning Book Walk," where they engage in self-directed reading with friends during the morning or other free time, and "Seoul Students’ First Book Writing," where they write their own books on topics like interests and career paths. Families who participate in the campaign to read for 10 minutes a day for 100 days starting in May and complete the challenge will have their names displayed in the library’s Hall of Fame. In addition, there will be events organized in collaboration with school libraries, local bookstores, cultural institutions, and public facilities such as the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education libraries and various community groups.

On the afternoon of April 23, at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu Inchon and actor Hwang Jungmin are reading Shakespeare's play "Macbeth" together at the ceremony commemorating "World Book Day." [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recently announced its "4th Basic Plan for the Promotion of Reading Culture," aiming to increase the adult reading rate from 43.0% last year to 50.0% by 2028, and the average number of books read per year from 3.9 to 7.5.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu Inchon emphasized, "Reading greatly enhances our imagination, critical thinking, and empathy, fostering the 'power to ask questions' and 'humanism' essential in the age of artificial intelligence. It also promotes understanding and communication among members of society and serves as the foundation for demand in the publishing industry, making its importance and impact immense." He added, "We are acutely aware of the declining reading rate and will make comprehensive efforts to promote reading culture by linking reading, humanities, literature, and library policies, collaborating with other ministries and agencies, and strengthening communication with the private sector."