Korean expression
설마
Said by j-hope (BTS)
What does 설마 mean?
설마 means "No way—one?" in Korean.
How it works here
설마 casts doubt on the following number, conveying “That can’t be right.”
When it's used
Used to question surprising information that seems unlikely to be true.
The line
설마 1이요?
No way, 1?
A surprised follow-up question checking an unexpected number or result.
Scene from “Run BTS! 2023 Special Episode - Next Top Genius Part 2” · Channel: BANGTANTV Watch on YouTube
More examples
설마 오늘 안 온다는 거예요?
No way—you mean you’re not coming today?
설마 내가 그걸 잊어버렸겠어?
No way. Do you think I would forget that?
Quick check
What does this mean here?
설마
설마 1이요?
No way, 1?
- Used when you think something is already settled, meaning ‘it won’t change’.
- Used when someone insists they are right, meaning ‘it could be true’.
- Used when you worry things may go wrong, meaning ‘it feels unsettling’.
- A word expressing disbelief that something could really be true
Show the answer
A word expressing disbelief that something could really be true
설마 expresses disbelief and the expectation that something is probably not the case, unlike a neutral guess.
Other words in this line
- 1
- One
Same expression in other scenes
- 설마 뚝섬 — Could it really be Ttukseom?
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