#front man

All of these particles can be used to show that something is being done or given to someone. The difference between these three particles is:

❥ 에게 is used mainly in written communication or formal situations (although it may also be used conversationally sometimes).
❥ 한테 is used mainly in conversation.
❥ 께 is used when talking to or about someone who requires respect (eg. elder/teacher/boss).

These particles come after the recipient, rather than before as they do in English. Here are some examples of their usage:

I gave a present to my friend yesterday.
어제 친구에게 선물을 줬어요.

I send a birthday card to my friend every year.
저는 매년 언니에게 생일 카드를 보냅니다.

My friend gives a watch to their boyfriend.
동생이 남친한테 시계를 줘요.

I want to ask (to) my friend.
저는 친구한테 물어보고 싶어요.

I call (to) my grandma.
할머니께 전화 드려요.

I will give this book to my teacher.
이 잭이 선생님께 드릴 거예요.

Something that is important to note with this grammar is that although it means ‘to’, it can also be used to mean ‘from’. Obviously, this can be confusing, and it can be difficult for learners to figure out how to use this in conversation. When listening to others, however, you can understand which meaning is intended by the context. By listening to native speakers, it becomes easier to understand and use this grammar.

By analysing the Game Administrator’s words, we can grasp which version he is intending to use. He begins with 다시 말씀드리지만 (let me explain again), then states 여러분에게 기회를 드리는 겁니다 or 여러분에게(to you)기회를(an opportunity)드리는(to give) 것입니다(this is). By context, we can understand that he is using the ‘to’ usage. He is saying to the players ‘we are giving you an opportunity’ or ‘this is an opportunity’ with an emphasis on the charitable aspect. Here, 에게 is being used instead of 한테 to indicate the formality of the situation, even though it is being used in spoken conversation.

In this scene, I find that the translation is a little off. ‘Let me remind you’ comes off as passive aggressive and indicates a kind of hostility towards the players which I feel isn’t present in the Korean version. The Game Administrator is still using honorifics, and although his tone is always cold, he actually speaks very politely towards the players. I feel like this would have been translated better as ‘please understand, we are giving you an opportunity’, as this carries the same tone as the Korean version, although it strays slightly from the exact meaning.

뭔

This particle is a shortened version of 무슨, meaning what / which one / what kind of. This is a contraction which sounds very informal, even when used with a formal sentence structure such as 습니다. It will sound rude if said to anyone older or anyone who you don’t know very well. Because of this, it’s fairly uncommon to hear this grammar being used unless you happen to be around a group of very close friends. Here are some examples of how it can be used:

What do you mean?
무슨말이야?
뭔말이야?

What jealousy?! / I’m not jealous!
무슨질투?!
뭔질투?!

뭔가

This grammar principle is actually a combination of 3 different forms: 무엇 (what / something), 이다 (it is / there is), and (으)ㄴ 가(요). 

For a quick overview of (으)ㄴ 가(요), this is a sentence ending where the speaker is indirectly asking about something which they are curious about. It’s a softer, less direct way of asking a question and is best translated in English as ‘I wonder’. For example:

I wonder, how much is this?
이건얼마 인가요?

I wonder, will you come tomorrow?
내일도오실 건가요?

Combining these principles then, we have 무엇 + 이다(there is something or it is something), and then 무엇 인가(요) (I wonder if there is something, or I wonder if it is something). 무엇 인가(요) is almost always shortened to 뭔가(요).

I wonder…it’s something that you cant figure out, right?
뭔가모르겠지?

If it’s not that, I wonder what it is?
그게 아니라면 뭔가? 

뭔가 Additional Meanings

Alongside the explanation above, there are two other ways in which 뭔가 can be used. Firstly, it can be used as a filler word when you are trying to pad out your speech or are struggling for your next word. Secondly, 뭐 and (으)ㄴ 가요 can sometimes simply mean ‘something’ without any nuance of indirect questioning, like in these examples:

I feel like something sweet.
뭔가 단 것이 땡긴다.

Yuseok, you have something on your face.
유석 씨의 얼굴에 뭔가묻었어요.

This second usage is what is being used in the example from the Game Administrator in this scene. He is saying that it seems (것 같다) that something (뭔가) has been misunderstood (오해가 있는것). Obviously then, the translation here is very accurate to what is actually being said.

중에 Additional Meanings

Although 중에 can be used to mean amongst a group, it can also be used to show that something is taking place in the middle of another action. This usage is a very literal combination of 중 and the particle 에. If this principle feels difficult to learn, one way to practise could be creating sentences using the particle 에 for time, and changing the first part of the sentence into something which was happening whilst the action takes place and adding in 중.

I happened to meet my friend at 12 o’clock.
12시에 친구를 우연히 만났다.

Whilst I was going home, I happened to meet my friend.
집에 가는 중에 친구를 우연히 만났다.

My doorbell suddenly rang whilst I was in the middle of cooking.
요리 하는 중에 갑자기 누가 초인종을 눌렸어요.

는 중 

If you’re unfamiliar with English grammar, the present progressive tense is used when you are in the middle of a certain action, or when that action is in progress. In English, these words usually end in the -ing suffix (eg. studying, writing, reading). When studying Korean as a beginner, one of the first grammar principles that you learned was probably 고 있다, which is the Korean equivalent of this form, however, you can also use 는 중 to show that something is in the present progressive tense. This grammar is used in exactly the same way as 고 있다, as you can just place it directly onto the end of the verb stem. This form is slightly less common than 고 있다, but is still used quite frequently and is good for adding variation to your speech or writing.

I’m studying.
나는 공부하는 중이다.

My brother is on a blind date.
오빠가 미팅을 하는 중이에요.

You may have noticed that all of the previous examples for 중에 also incorporated the 는 particle. This is because these sentences used both the 는 중 and 중에 grammar principles simultaneously to indicate that something was already taking place, and whilst that happened something else occurred. Using these two forms combined is a great way to easily impress native Koreans since it shows that not only do you know two intermediate forms, you also know how to combine them.

A 하고 B 중에(서)

This principle is used to indicate that there is a choice between 2 or more things. This principle is extremely useful if a choice needs to be made between several options, or something needs to be distinguished. Although 하고 is commonly used, you can also use 과/와 and this would still be grammatically correct. You may also use 중에(서) after a the name of a group or a collective noun, as ‘group’ indicates that there are several things involved to choose/make a distinction from.

Between Busan and Seoul, where do you want to go?
부산하고 서울 중에 어디 가고 싶어요?

Between design and practicality, which do you think is more important?
디자인하고 실용성 중에서 어느 게 더 중요해요?

Between all of my classes, geography is my favourite.
수업 주에 지리 수업을 제일 좋아해요.