Korean · Words & Expressions
복수復讐
boksu
Also written: pok-su; revenge; vengeance
Revenge: action taken to repay a perceived injury, betrayal, injustice, or loss.
Literal meaning
revenge or retaliation for a wrong
Cultural context
Boksu can describe personal retaliation, family vengeance, institutional revenge, or the central goal of a melodrama or thriller. Stories differ on whether revenge restores justice or reproduces harm.
How dramas use it
A character builds wealth, changes identity, gathers evidence, enters an enemy’s organization, or manipulates relationships as part of a long-term boksu plan.
Usage & formality
Revenge and legal justice are not the same. The drama may deliberately test whether the character can still distinguish them.