aigo
Also written: aigoo; 아이구; eigo
A flexible Korean exclamation used for fatigue, pain, frustration, surprise, sympathy, worry, relief, or affectionate exasperation.
Literal meaning
an interjection such as oh dear, goodness, or oh my
Cultural context
Aigo is highly dependent on voice and situation. It may accompany physical effort, bad news, a complaint, concern for another person, or the weary reaction of someone watching preventable nonsense unfold.
How dramas use it
Parents, grandparents, neighbors, coworkers, and exhausted leads use aigo while sitting down, standing up, receiving troubling news, scolding someone, or reacting to a character who refuses to listen.
Usage & formality
It is an interjection rather than a sentence with one fixed translation. Subtitles may render it as “Oh,” “Goodness,” “Oh dear,” “Honestly,” or omit it entirely.