Lines 

Hyun-ju’s dad: 우리 딸 저녁 먹었어?

Did Hyun-ju have dinner already? 

Hyun-ju’s mom: 대표님이랑 술마셨대. 말하지 말랬는데.

She had a drink with her boss. She told me not to say anything.

Dad: 왜 말하면 안 되는데요? 회사 기밀이야? 

Why shouldn’t she say anything? Is it a company secret? 

Do-kyum: 제가 대표를 싫어해서요.

Because I don’t like her boss. 

Dad: 왜? 

Why? 

Do-kyum: 그냥요. 저 먼저 일어날게요. 

I just do. May I be excused?

Dad: 벌써 가게? 현주 금방 왔는데..

Leaving already? Hyun-ju just got here…

Do-kyum: 작업이 밀려서요. 다음에 또 올게요.

I have some work left to do. I’ll come again soon. 

Expression of the Week

말하지 말랬는데 (she) told me not to say anything 

말하다 – v. to say, to verbally express one’s thoughts or feelings

말다 – auxiliary v. do not; used to indicate the ban of an action in the preceding statement.

Casual – 말하지 말랬는데

Polite – 말하지 말랬어요 

>>This expression is commonly used when the speaker has been told not to disclose a fact or a secret by someone else. 

>>In the dialogue, the person who has told the mother to keep the fact that Hyun-ju had a drink with her boss a secret is Hyun-ju herself. As the subject can be omitted in Korean, Hyun-ju has been omitted in the dialogue, but included in the English as “she.”