Korean · Words & Expressions
제발
jebal
Also written: chebal; please; for goodness’ sake
A Korean adverb used to make an urgent request or plea, often translated as “please,” “I beg you,” or, in frustration, “for goodness’ sake.”
Literal meaning
please; earnestly; for once
Cultural context
Jebal adds emotional force rather than politeness by itself. It can express desperation, sincere pleading, impatience, or exhausted frustration depending on the sentence and tone.
How dramas use it
Characters use jebal while begging someone not to leave, asking a villain to stop, pleading for the truth, demanding that another person listen, or reacting to repeated foolishness.
Usage & formality
Jebal does not replace polite verb endings. A speaker can use it in polite or informal speech, and the surrounding grammar still indicates the relationship.