[Korea Quiz] Fire and water

Find the answer at the bottom.

In Korean, water and fire serve as powerful metaphors that convey various meanings beyond the literal.

Water, being a shapeless liquid, is used metaphorically to signify weakness or a lack of substance. The phrase, "mureul meokda," (물을 먹다) which literally means "to drink water" or "to be fed water," is commonly used to signify experiencing a setback, being fooled, being rejected or generally falling short.

Another way water is used is to describe someone as insignificant or easy to dismiss. The expression, "Nareul mullo boni?" (나를 물로 보니?) which translates to "Do you see me as water?" is used when the speaker complains about feeling undervalued or not taken seriously by the other party.

When an exam is described as "water," it means it is too easy and lacks the difficulty level needed to differentiate between students who excel in the subject and those who do not.

On the other hand, fire embodies vibrancy and intensity, representing something powerful and formidable.

The expression, "bureul bodeut ppeonhada," (불을 보듯 뻔하다) which translates to "it's as obvious as seeing fire," is used to describe something that is unmistakably clear or certain.

Additionally, fire connotes something extremely severe or intense. You may hear a person being likened to fire due to their quick temper or fierce anger. Similarly, when someone is scolded "like fire," as in the phrase "bulhoryeong," (불호령) it signifies a very harsh scolding.

When used to describe the difficulty level of an exam or other situations, “fire” contrasts with "water." A "fire" Suneung refers to Korea's annual national college entrance exam being exceptionally difficult.

Answer: (b)