Welcome to the first edition of Learning Korea through K-dramas.
This series explores how Korean dramas can teach us about the country’s history, society, and emotions. Behind the romance and suspense, every K-drama reflects the real stories of how Koreans lived, endured, and changed over time.

Lately I’ve been watching Typhoon Family on Netflix, set in the late 1990s after the IMF crisis. It follows a young man trying to save his father’s collapsing company and family. Through its grainy visuals, old pop songs, and deeply emotional tone, it captures the anxious and fragile atmosphere of that era.

One scene stands out. The mother goes to the local post office on an ordinary afternoon to mail a letter. She stops when she notices a long line of people outside, each holding small boxes, wedding rings, and family heirlooms. A handwritten sign reads, “Gold Collecting Campaign – For Our Country.” She hesitates for a moment, watching quietly as one person after another hands over their gold. Then she steps into line behind a young pregnant woman.

As the line moves forward, the mother takes out her wedding ring and looks at it quietly. She thinks of her late husband for a moment, then lowers her gaze. In a calm voice, she whispers to herself, “You’d say I did well, wouldn’t you?” and holds the ring tightly as the line continues to move.

That moment captures what millions of Koreans truly did in 1998. During the IMF financial crisis, Korea’s economy nearly collapsed after years of rapid growth built on excessive borrowing and foreign debt. When the crisis struck, the government received a 58-billion-dollar bailout from the International Monetary Fund(IMF). The conditions were harsh, with mass layoffs, bankruptcies, and strict reforms. Unemployment skyrocketed, and thousands of families lost everything.

Then something remarkable happened. Citizens across the nation began donating their personal gold to help repay the country’s debt. Ordinary people, from office workers and students to homemakers and children, lined up at post offices and banks to offer what they could. Around 3.5 million people participated, collecting about 227 tons of gold worth roughly 2.1 billion dollars at the time, equivalent to over 15 billion dollars today.

Few other countries that went through IMF bailouts ever recovered so quickly. Many faced years of stagnation and political unrest. Korea, however, repaid its IMF debt by 2001, three years ahead of schedule, and went on to become one of the world’s leading economies. That recovery was not achieved by governments or corporations alone. It was built on ordinary people’s quiet courage and belief that their small sacrifice mattered.

Typhoon Family tells that story through the struggles of one household, but it speaks for an entire generation. It shows how despair and solidarity coexisted, how people kept their dignity even when they had nothing left to give.

Through this series, I will continue sharing stories like this, moments in K-dramas that reveal Korea’s deeper history, spirit, and humanity. They remind us that what makes Korea special is not just its rapid growth but the collective strength and empathy that carried it through its hardest times.

Welcome to Learning Korea through Language, a series that explores unique Korean expressions and the culture behind them. Language shows how people think and live, and Korean is full of phrases that reveal kindness, humor, and history.

Today’s expression is “손이 크다” (son-i keuda), which literally means “to have big hands.” But in Korean, it means someone is generous, especially with food. If a grandmother cooks enough for twenty guests when only five come over, people say, “우리 할머니 손이 커요,” meaning “My grandmother has big hands.” It’s a warm compliment that suggests a big heart.

The opposite, “손이 작다” (son-i jakda) or “to have small hands,” playfully describes someone who is a bit too careful or stingy, often said with a smile.

Expressions like these reflect Korea’s culture of sharing, born from times when people had little but still gave what they could. “Big hands” aren’t really about size—they’re about generosity.

In future issues, we’ll explore more of these phrases that show how everyday language captures the heart of Korean life.

Listen to and repeat Korean every day with Sori. You’ll pick up fun and natural expressions along the way. Click below to start learning with Sori!

www.sorikorea.com

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by Minwoo from Seoul, Korea