There’s one Korean word that I’ve came by in movies that I have watched in past years. I come to love so much the word “Jeong (정).” the first time I got the opportunity to notice it was when I was watching a Korean drama called Reply 1988. In the story, neighbors cared for each other like family. Even when they argued or shouted, you could still feel that strong bond between them. That’s when I first heard the word “jeong.”
I bet it is not easy to explain it very well but I will put in the way I understand. To me It’s more than love or friendship. It’s deep, it is emotional, connection like feeling you build with people over time. It could be with your family,friend, neighbors or colleagues even with someone you don’t talk to often, but still feel close to. It a that warm feeling that ties hearts together, even without words.
In Korean culture, jeong is everywhere. When someone gives you food even when they don’t have much, that’s jeong this is love and caring. When a teacher worries about a student like a parent, that’s jeong too, looking out for each other. It’s something that grows slowly, through care, kindness, and shared memories.
i was touched with the meaning because I see the same thing in my own culture, here in Nigeria. When neighbors look after each other’s children,It happen in my house even within our neighbors when someone shares food during hard times, when friends stay close even after years that’s our own kind of jeong.
Now coming to the modern world, this day people are too busy chasing success and forget how important connection is to success. But when I remember that word, I remind myself to care more, to check up on people, to show kindness even when it’s small capacity of mine.
Jeong may just be one Korean word, but to me, it carries something very meaningful to human existence its speak of love that stays without reason, care that doesn’t ask for anything in return for it.
That’s something worth it. It reminds me that what truly makes life beautiful are the small things we do for each other from the heart.