Expression of the Week

Lee Soo-ha : 자꾸 아이 낳자고 그러면, 내가 너무 흔들리니까

빨리 마음 정리 시키려고 그래서 이혼하자고 한 건데,
진짜 이혼하자고? 기막혀. 

I only said we should get divorced because I keep wavering when he keeps saying we should have a child. That’s why I wanted to help him collect his thoughts. 

But he really wants a divorce? I’m at a loss for words. 

---

기막혀 (I’m at a loss for words)

기막히다 – absurd; something being surprising or unpleasant, making someone dumbfounded or at a loss for words

Casual – 기막혀

>> 기막혀” comes from “기막히다” which combines “기,” the energy that flows inside the human body, with “막히다” or “to be blocked.” So, literally it means there is a stop to the flow of energy in one’s body usually because of something ridiculous or absurd they heard or saw as in the dialogue.

>>”기막히다” can also be used for something great or fantastic, describing the state or extent of something being unspeakably great as in the following examples. 

e.g. 기막히게 맛있어 (It’s ridiculously delicious) 

e.g. 한국에는 한 번도 안 가봤다는데 한국어를 기막히게 잘해 (He says he’s never been to Korea, but his Korean is unbelievably good