# 불알이 뻔히 뜨도록 돌아오다가



## moondeer

I hope this idiom from Chunhyangjeon isn't too crude for this forum. Can anyone think of a roughly equivalent English idiom for 불알이 뻔히 뜨도록 돌아오다가...? Here's the context: 방자놈 이도령을 속이려고 바른 길을 두고 사오차를 둘러가니, 어찌 종을 알까 보니? 개아미 쳇바퀴 돌 듯, 불알이 뻔히 뜨도록 돌아오다가 하는 말이.

Also, can you tell how crude it is? Is it mild or pretty raunchy?

Thanks for your help!


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## CharlesLee

It's not embarrassed at all.

The sentences are classic and literary. 

It's figurative with 개아미 쳇바퀴 돌 듯. 

개아미 is the word in Jeju island or province as the same as 개미 in the continent, which is ants. 

쳇바퀴 돌다 can be translated in English as To go round in circles, or run around in circles when it's literal. But

다람쥐 쳇바퀴 돌듯 is a saying in Korean here, and 개아미 or 개미 can be replaced with 다람쥐 in this saying.

It means you don't progress but stay there so it's *To remain stationary or come to a standstill in English*.

불알이 뻔히 뜨도록 돌아오다가 하는 말이 implies the situation their balls physically up and down when men run.

개아미 쳇바퀴 돌 듯, 불알이 뻔히 뜨도록 돌아오다가 하는 말이 implies 방자, a servant, actually ran but came to a 

standstill since he came back running getting his balls in an uproar.

So in my personal opinion, the writer used the saying for expressing his movement and as the result of the same.

And 불알이 뻔히 뜨도록 is figurative as he was running fast.

I wonder if the slang "getting his balls in an uproar" goes well with that, but you could express by using *As if 

conjunction *if you want, which means you actually could express that nuance as literal physically or figuratively

or with slang because it's the ability to interpret, how you felt after reading this part, which way would be more

expressive or appropriate.
*
*


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## CharlesLee

moondeer said:


> I hope this isn't too crude for this forum. Can anyone think of a roughly equivalent English idiom for 불알이 뻔히 뜨도록 돌아오다가...? Here's the context: 방자놈 이도령을 속이려고 바른 길을 두고 사오차를 둘러가니, 어찌 종을 알까 보니? 개아미 쳇바퀴 돌 듯, 불알이 뻔히 뜨도록 돌아오다가 하는 말이.
> 
> Also, can you tell how crude it is? Is it mild or pretty raunchy?
> 
> Thanks for your help!



I forgot to tell you how crude it is. You first need to know the characteristics of Korean literature reflecting the 

spirit of the age in Korean history, in addition to Korean art.

A long times ago, Koreans used to take totally naked bath in the lake and valley, even seen in the recent movie, 

태극기 휘날리며; a traditional fairy tale, 선녀와 나무꾼; the public bath culture in Sauna, called 목욕탕, or spa 온천 in 

Korean.  It's because there was no bathroom at that time and Korea has over thousands years of 

history. Let me give you some clues, when was nude pictures presented the most in Europe? When was the 

the Renaissance? It shows the patterns or custom melted in the period. The traditional novel work, 춘향전 was 

in the Joseon dynasty era where 춘향, whose class or occupation was 기생 or 기녀, had got less morals than 

gentries' wives, who weren't able to have sex just like 기생 or 기녀 whenever they want if they liked the man, but 

it doesn't mean they played just like current and modern people at the moment. They valued sense of virtue too.

So was it in the Joseon Dynasty ear, as famous was the European nude painting art then.

If you want to know what is 기생 or 기녀 , I recommend you watch 아가씨, a Korean movie. 

So, yes, it could be raunchy for someone, but it depends on one's sense of morality.

I think when compared to modern night life in Korea or the States, some of women wouldn't do that till they meet

a prince or Mr. right but some would clearly make up before marriage or in relationship.

춘향전 is also about love just like other works in English or Korean literature.

When I read Romeo & Juliet, novels of Jane Austen, or just middle aged novels or art almost give me the same

impression or expectation as always and it doesn't betray me :

A small fortune, marriage, propose, nature, novels, class, dance, playing instruments, sing, poem, farm, carriage,

soldiers, officers, tensions, love, church, etc.

When you see Greek statues, do you feel lewd? I thought it's emphasis on the beauty of man or human-oriented.

Hope it's helpful enough for you.


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