Korean Drama Reviews: -거니와, -고요

To review a Korean drama like a native, you need two additive moves: -거니와 stacks a second, stronger point onto the first (연기도 좋거니와 음악도 최고고요 — not only is the acting good, the music is the best too), and sentence-final -고(요) softly tacks on an afterthought (배우들 연기도 훌륭하고요 — and the actors’ performances are great as well). Both let you pile praise (or complaints) naturally, the way real reviews flow.

Reviews lean on skills you’ve been building. You already know how to retell a scene firsthand and to describe action with vivid sound and motion words; now you’ll layer evaluations — one point reinforcing the next — to give a verdict. Start with the vocabulary of rating and reviewing.

Ten words for reviews

These power every star rating and write-up.

Not only X, but also Y — -거니와

To stack a second, often stronger point onto the first, attach -거니와 to the stem. It reads as “not only… but also / what’s more” and flows as one polished sentence.

The point after -거니와 usually outweighs the first: you’re not just listing two facts, you’re building toward the bigger one. It carries a written, considered tone — perfect for a thoughtful review.

And also… — sentence-final -고(요)

To tack on an afterthought after your main sentence is done, end with -고요 (drop the -요 for casual speech). It softly adds one more remark.

Don’t confuse this end-of-sentence -고요 with connective -고 (“and”), which links clauses inside a sentence: 음악도 좋고 배우도 훌륭해요 (the music is good and the actors are great). Sentence-final -고요 comes after the period, adding a softer “…oh, and also.”

Two friends review a drama

A back-and-forth verdict — -거니와 and -고요 woven through with review vocab:

Watch the additive moves: 탄탄하거니와 / 줄 만하거니와 stack the stronger point each time, while 좋고요 / 높고요 / 훌륭하고요 toss in afterthoughts. That’s exactly how a Korean review breathes.

FAQ

What exactly does -거니와 add that plain -고 doesn’t? -거니와 means ‘not only… but also / what’s more,’ and it does two things plain -고 doesn’t: it signals that a second, often stronger point is coming, and it sounds more written and polished. 연기도 좋고 음악도 좋아요 simply lists two good things (‘the acting is good and the music is good’); 연기도 좋거니와 음악도 최고예요 builds — ‘not only is the acting good, the music is downright the best.’ It works for negatives too: 비싸거니와 맛도 별로예요 = not only is it pricey, the taste is mediocre as well. Reach for -거니와 in reviews and write-ups where you want each point to reinforce the last.

How is sentence-final -고요 different from connective -고? They share the shape -고 but sit in different places and do different jobs. Connective -고 links two clauses inside one sentence (‘and’): 음악도 좋고 배우도 훌륭해요 = the music is good and the actors are great. Sentence-final -고요 comes at the very end, after the main sentence is already complete, to tack on a softening afterthought: 음악도 좋고요 = …and the music’s good too. You often hear it adding one more positive in conversation after a pause: 연기가 훌륭했어요. 음악도 좋고요. The -요 keeps it polite; drop it to 음악도 좋고 for casual speech.

Can I use -거니와 in everyday conversation? You can, but it has a slightly literary, formal flavor — it’s most at home in written reviews, articles, and considered spoken opinions rather than casual chat. In a quick text to a friend you’d more naturally say 연기도 좋고 음악도 대박이야 (the acting’s good and the music’s amazing). But when you’re writing a thoughtful drama review, a blog post, or speaking carefully about a film’s merits, -거니와 lends polish and makes your second point land harder. Sentence-final -고요, by contrast, is fully casual-friendly and very common in everyday speech for adding an afterthought.

Next: K-pop & fandom — 이야, 이나마. Previous: noticing change — -더니, -어서인지. Full path: curriculum hub.