Learn Korean: 웬일 + Verb

Let’s take a look at the Korean sentence pattern 웬일 + Verb. We use this when someone does something out of the blue especially when it is something we are not used to see him doing. We are surprised by this unusual behavior. For instance, Ryota never ate breakfast ever since we became roommates. When I got up this morning, he had an apron on cheerfully cooking fried rice. I reacted Wow! What’s gotten into you? Why are you cooking? It was literally my first time to see him cook. The main verb is 요리를 하다 (to cook). We take the verb stem (하) and attach 고 (하고). 웬일이다 comes before the verb. The actual sentence is 웬일이이야 요리를 하고? We can also say 웬일이냐 (low casual) and 웬일이에요 (polite).

 

니가 웬일이냐 여길 오고?

What's gotten into you? I am not used to see you coming here personally.

웬일이냐 머리 짧게 자르고?

What's gotten into you? Why did you cut your hair? You said you hate short hair.

웬일이냐 존댓말 쓰고?

What's gotten into you? Why are you speaking in polite language all of the sudden?