Friday, March 22, 2019

Things to Remember When Watching Spring Turns to Spring

The title of this KDrama is a pun based on the Korean word "Bom" (봄), which means "spring" (the season that starts with the vernal equinox) in English. 

If you decide to watch "Spring turns to Spring" just remember the following:

  1. Bom "ee" is the news anchor
  2. "Ee" Bom is the actor.

Bom "ee" (the news anchor)

The news anchor was the second of three orphaned children, named Bom One, Bom Two and Bom Three (in Korean of course). For a surname, then were given Kim—by far the most common Korean surname:

  1. Bom One (봄일 = Bom il)
  2. Bom Two (봄이 = Bom i [pronounced Bom "ee"]
  3. Bom Three (봄삼 = Bom sam)

(In one of Korean's numbering systems, 1, 2 and 3 are 일, 이, and 삼 respectively.)

The news anchor decided she didn't want to be called Bom two, so she slightly adjusted the components of her given name's hangul from 봄이 to 보미 — from Bom "ee" to Bo Mi. Both sound exactly the same.

"Ee" Bom (the actress)

In the subtitles, the name of the actress "Ee" Bom is translated as Lee Bom. That is because the Korean surname 이 (pronounced "ee" in Korean) is generally translated into English as Lee (well, except for when it is translated as Yi [pronounced "yee," I suppose]).

This can be very confusing to English speakers, who are hearing "Ee Bom" (for the actress) and seeing Lee Bom in the subtitles.

One more thing

Occasionally you'll hear one of the two persons referred to as (simply) "Bom." That is the actress, being referred to by her given name only. Her full name is Lee Bom.

When the news anchor (Bo Mi) is referred to by her full name, she is Kim Bomi.

Confused? Well, join the club.