Korean phrases / Everyday Korean
기대했는데 별로였어 / 돈이 아깝다
gi-dae-haen-neun-de byeol-ro-yeoss-eo / don-i a-kkap-da
“I had expectations but it was meh / Waste of money”
🏷️ Close friendsTextbook vs Real
Textbook영화가 기대에 못 미쳤습니다yeong-hwa-ga gi-dae-e mot mi-chyeot-seum-ni-da
Real기대했는데 별로였어 / 돈이 아깝다gi-dae-haen-neun-de byeol-ro-yeoss-eo / don-i a-kkap-da
Why Koreans say it this way
별로 (not great) is the Korean way of saying something is bad without being too harsh. 돈이 아깝다 (the money is wasted) is a stronger complaint. Korean movie reviews online are brutally honest though — check 네이버 ratings before going.
Situation: entertainment