Short Korean quotes that resonate with the heart: words that can change your life.

피할 수 없는 고통이라면 즐겨라.

It sounds like a cool phrase you might hear in a pop song.

“I really hate school exams,” “Pointless company meetings are agony…” — depending on your situation, the kinds of pain differ.

I wonder if this idea of “If the pain is unavoidable, enjoy it” is a minority view in Japan, where enduring hardship is often considered a virtue.

With that mindset, you might even get through Korea’s famously tough mandatory military service without being tense, saying, “Gwenchana-yo, it’s okay.” Of course, it’s an encouraging phrase for Japanese people too!

인생은 뭐든 해봐야 알지.

Shinjiro Torii, the founder of the beverage company Suntory, is famous for the phrase “Give it a try—if you don’t try, you won’t know,” which you often see on calligraphy boards and hanging scrolls.

If someone like Mr.

Torii were your boss, everyone would probably work with real vitality.

By the way, the company name Suntory is a coined word combining “sun,” the source of life, and “Torii,” his own name.

The Korean saying also connects to Torii’s spirit of “give it a try,” doesn’t it? It’s a curious phrase that makes you feel emboldened.

How did you interpret it?

즐기는 자가 노력하는 자를 이긴다.Seo Jang-hoon

Seo Jang-hoon, a former professional basketball player who is now active mainly on variety shows, is a popular TV personality.

His famous quote, rendered in Japanese as “Those who enjoy themselves defeat those who work hard,” may be a message born from his experience as an athlete.

Of course, working hard to win is a given, but whether you do it begrudgingly or with enjoyment can change the results.

This quote teaches us that it’s important to first adopt a positive attitude toward what you’re trying to do.

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Hoshino Takashi

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사랑이 싶으면 외로움도 싶다.Chikyouko

Chikyo Cho, an artist who studied painting at a university in Tokyo and went on to become one of South Korea’s leading female painters.

Her famous saying, rendered in Japanese as “The deeper the love, the deeper the loneliness,” can be applied not only to romance but to many forms of love.

When we lose someone or something we love—no matter the form—we’re seized by a sense of loss, as if a hole has opened in our hearts.

The deeper the love, the greater the loneliness, sorrow, and pain become.

It’s a sentimental quote that makes you want to savor the happiness you have right now.

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Hoshino Takashi

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길가의 민들레는 밟혀도 꽃을 피운다.Yu Changchun

Dr.

Woo Jang-choon, an agronomist known as the father of Korean agriculture, was born to a Korean father and a Japanese mother.

His famous saying, often rendered in Japanese as “Even dandelions by the roadside bloom despite being trampled,” teaches the strength to withstand adversity.

In life, even if we don’t have grand dreams or goals, hardships may stand in our way and misfortune may befall us.

Yet it reminds us that no matter the circumstances, we can rise and we can shine.

It’s a message I hope will be given to anyone whose heart feels on the verge of breaking right now.

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Hoshino Takashi

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