Respectful way of speaking in Korean

In Korean language, there are different levels of speech you use, depending on whom you're speaking to. There's the easy and informal way of speech you use towards your peers and those 'lower' than you (e.g. employees, younger people). Then there's the formal language used for people older or in 'higher' rank than yours. And for people you just met, whenever you're in doubt, use the polite way... But the polite way is usually longer and there are several levels, the longer the more polite but the more archaic too.

Think of it as a dress code. If you're meeting friends, you can wear down, and be at ease. But if you're meeting your boss, your teacher... or let's say, you're meeting the president of the nation, you'll wear a more formal dress. And I'm just talking about the modern Korea. Ancient Korea was even more strict in terms of speech and of social class.

So in SEO DONG'S SONG, the children spoke informally to each other... not that they could, but the boy Jang didn't follow any social norms. But when they met again after growing up, Jang spoke politely to the princess, and she was surprised: "That's not the way you spoke to me," she said. But this is actually the right way of talking to a princess. And he wanted to leave her.

But the princess played tricks on him and made him laugh... then, Jang went back to the old ways and used the 'informal' way for like a day or so. But when he left her on the next day, she intercepts him and tells him to be her bodyguard. Back then, she tells him: "You cannot talk informally to me anymore." Meaning: you must follow the norms and speak respectfully to me! Which he does.

After he returns to Hanuelchae, the princess follows him with her bow and arrow, mad that this commoner has dared to reject her. But after jumping on top of her, he tells the princess: "I won't keep a woman in my heart if I cannot talk down to her." Meaning: He won't love a woman he must look up to always.

You see, since Sunhwa is a princess, she could afford to talk down to most everybody. So she always talked informally to Jang while Jang couldn't.

Now comes the conversation under the tree, the thing that AMAZED Jang so much it left him speechless. He was very happy to see her, but he still felt that wasn't right, so he tells Sunhwa she shouldn't have come. Then, she says she came to tell him something... And she gets herself ready... And she starts speaking politely towards Jang. This was as if the princess would be calling Jang... "My Lord..."

She goes like: "You said you won't love a woman you cannot speak informally with? I'll change then. I'll speak respectfully to you. Because you're surely a man deserving of such respect." And from this day on, she always spoke in polite ways to him.

Later on, when Giroo discovers the lovers, he confronts the princess and asks her why she was speaking politely to a man of low birth. But Sunhwa felt Jang was no lowly man, but someone deserving much respect and honor.

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After writing the above explanation, I came to realize that princess Sunhwa was the first person who 'ever' spoke deferentially to Jang. Everyone else spoke informally, and in pretty rough ways at that!

Which explains why he looked so stunned by what the princess was doing. But the fact that this person who was exalting him was none other than the princess of a nation did something to his own heart... It took him out of a state of self-defeat and help him to dream big~of conquering the world for his princess.

From this day on, and for a very long time, the princess would be the only person who would speak formally to him. It's a given that none of the Hanulchae people spoke respectfully to him. The 2 comrades-at-war he met during episode 15-16 (lighting of the signal torch) spoke informally to him, and the same thing goes with all the officials and nobles at the Palace Court.

BUT LATER ON, as his identity's revealed, things must change. Mokrasu was the first person other than Sunhwa to know this (Except prince Aja). As soon as the master finds out, he kneels down before 'the prince' speaking respectfully to him. Jang protests and he asks his master to treat him the way he always did. In order to 'cover up' the truth, the master agrees to this... but sometimes he still speaks 'respectfully' to Jang, so Jang has to remind Mokrasu to stop doing that (lest someone hears them).

Daejang always spoke down on the younger boy but he couldn't do that after knowing the truth. More towards the end of the drama, the dynamic's changed, and it's the king who spoke down on Daejang. Wangoo Mujang, the king's guard, was another one who always spoke down on this boy. But when he learns he's the prince, he keeps on speaking deferentially to him, although he knows that's not safe! (He couldn't help himself!)

When Eunjin finds out the truth, she feels a huge gap separating them both and she feels lost. "I cannot call him by his first name anymore!" She complains.

Prince Wooyung too, she spoke down on Jang even after learning who he is... since she's still a princess but he's a 'hidden' identity! It was only after he succeeds in his revolution that she starts talking deferentially to him.

As for Jang, he was so used to speaking respectfully to everyone, he continues doing so even after he becomes a king... although the king could speak down to most everyone. But as the story advances, you'll see Jang using the informal ways more often and with more at ease when speaking to his subordinates.

It must have been confusing for the people to suddenly change their behavior towards Jang... and Jang would be the most confused in this huge mess. But fortunately, he had been 'trained' by Princess Sunhwa at receiving respect and honor. Meaning: the princess treated him as a prince even before she knew who he was. So by the time they find out... it made it easier for Jang to face it.

(Credit: Priscilla of Prisci4U at Xanga)