Anybody, even the most ignorant K-pop fan, knows what "sarang" is - 'love'. But for years, english-speaking K-pop fans have toiled between calling it "sarang" or "salang". I'm here to officially tell you what the real word is.
If you don't want to read all this and just know the correct answer, it's sarang. Saranghae, Saranghaeyo, Sarang hajima, all of those. It's Sarang.
However, if you want to know why, either to gloat in glory or to bask in dishonor, here's why:
'Sarang' in Hangul is 사랑. (Note: If you are interested in learning to read and write in Hangul for *FREE*, see here.) When romanized, it looks like 'Sa 'Rang'. So yes, technically it is sarang. But it is rarely pronounced as a clear and crisp "sarang".
In Korean, the 'ㄹ', or r/l sound, is often mixed. This is often the biggest problem for most K-pop idols trying to speak English - the /r/ and /l/. Think about how the members of SNSD felt when they had to sing "Girls Generation"? So yes, it can sound either like 'sarang', 'salang', or a mix of both.
For example, in the English-speaking Ailee's Heaven, she gives a very distinct "sarang". In 2NE1's I Love You, a clear "salang" can be heard. In SHINee's Obsession, it can be percieved as either "sarang" or "salang".
You'll never be corrected or questioned for using "sarang" or "salang", no matter where you go. If you get in a debate over which is correct, don't fight for "salang" - it's more commonly used, but technically, not correct. As far as this blog goes, expect "sarang" to be used.
thank you so much for clearing that up. i'm trying to learn korean & sarang & salang confused me lol
ReplyDeleteHello, I'm a native English and Hungarian speaker, I learned Hangul a couple months ago and have been beginning to practice speaking Korean because I have been so intrigued by the culture and K-dramas for the past year. (I am planning to study abroad in college to Korea, I am sooo exited) I was also curious about it because I know it's pronounced sarang, but there are some songs that very very clearly say salang. I wondered if it had to do with grammar or something, idk. This makes more sense, thanks for clarifying.
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