Korean phrases / Everyday Korean
좋은 사람이긴 한데... / 지금은 연애 생각이 없어
jo-eun sa-ram-i-gin han-de... / ji-geum-eun yeon-ae saeng-gak-i eop-seo
“You're a good person but... / I'm not thinking about dati…”
🏷️ Close friendsTextbook vs Real
Textbook죄송하지만 저는 관심이 없습니다joe-song-ha-ji-man jeo-neun gwan-sim-i eop-seum-ni-da
Real좋은 사람이긴 한데... / 지금은 연애 생각이 없어jo-eun sa-ram-i-gin han-de... / ji-geum-eun yeon-ae saeng-gak-i eop-seo
Why Koreans say it this way
Direct rejection is harsh in Korean culture. 좋은 사람이긴 한데 (you're a good person, but...) is the classic soft rejection. 지금은 연애 생각이 없어 (not thinking about dating now) is the gentle letdown. Everyone knows what it means.
Situation: dating