aegi-ya (EH-ghee-yah) What my eomma calls me when she’s about to deliver bad news. Aegi is Korean for baby, and the ya on the end is what you add when you’re calling out to someone.

appa (AH-bbah) Korean for dad.

Areum (AH-rihm) A Korean name meaning beautiful.

bae (beh) a delicious Korean pear that’s big and round (sometimes as big as my face). It’s super crunchy and refreshing, and supposedly one of the Cave Bear Goddess’s favorite things to eat.

bangmangi (BAHNG-mahng-ee) a magical club covered with pointy black and red spikes that dokkaebis use to summon any item in the Mortalrealm.

Battle Galactic a video game that’s similar to Fortnite Battle Royale, but set in space. My BFF, Emmett, is obsessed with it.

bulgogi (BOOL-goh-ghee) a super-yummy marinated beef dish. David Kim’s family restaurant, Seoulful Tacos, makes the best bulgogi tacos in town.

Cave Bear Goddess the patron goddess of the Gom clan.

cheollima (CHOL-lee-mah) winged horses that are the preferred mode of transport for the goddesses in the Godrealm. Cheollimas are known for being too big, too swift, and too majestic to be mounted by any mortal being. Interesting fact: Ages ago, a cheollima who lost his wings and fell from the Godrealm became the first horse on Earth.

dojang (DOH-jahng) a formal training hall for Korean martial arts, like Taegwondo.

dokkaebi (DOH-ggeh-bee) really scary goblins that enter your dreams and make you live out your worst fears so they can eat them (literally). They have magical clubs called bangmangi that can summon any item in the Mortalrealm. Pro tip: Avoid them at all costs.

eomma (OM-mah) Korean for mom.

eum and yang (ihm) and (yahng) the Korean way of saying yin and yang, which is the idea that seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary and interconnected.

Gi (ghee) a cylindrical glass charm filled with one of the five sacred elements, worn as a bracelet by all initiated witches. When rubbed against the wrist, it activates a witch’s magic by channeling the divine power of that witch’s patron goddess.

gifted witches who are members of the six gifted clans and descendants of the six patron goddesses. Basically, those with magic in their blood.

gifted mark the symbol of the two suns and two moons that appears on a witch’s inner wrist when they do magic. It’s often used to prove one’s gifted identity—for example, to get into the temple for Saturday service, because it glows in the witch’s clan color.

gimbap (GHEEM-bahp) Korean sushi. Gimchi and cheese are the best combo for fillings, in case you’re wondering.

gimchi (GHEEM-chee) a spicy fermented cabbage side dish that makes whatever you’re eating infinitely tastier. The gimchi guacamole at Seoulful Tacos is my jam!

gimchi jjigae (GHEEM-chee JEE-geh) a hearty stew made with gimchi, which happens to be Eomma’s favorite meal.

glamour the type of magic that witches of the Gumiho clan (illusionists) practice. It allows people, places, and things to be hidden, transformed, or disguised. Pretty awesome.

gochujang (GOH-choo-jahng) A spicy-sweet chili sauce used in a lot of Korean cooking. Emmett loves it and puts obscene amounts on his tacos.

Godrealm the realm where Mago Halmi, the goddesses, and other divine creatures live.

Gom (gohm) Witches of the Gom clan, like my parents, my auntie Okja, and my sister, Hattie, are healers and descendants of the Cave Bear Goddess. Our clan color is gold, and our motto is Service and Sacrifice. Healers often run clinics hidden in plain sight, like holistic medicine centers, well-being retreats, or like my parents’ Traditional Korean Medicine Clinic.

Gumiho (GOO-mee-hoh) Witches of the Gumiho clan are illusionists and descendants of the Nine-Tailed Fox Goddess. Their clan color is silver, and their motto is Beauty and Influence. This may sound like a generalization, but their good looks often lead them to become K-pop and K-drama stars. True story.

gwisin (GWEE-sheen) hungry ghosts that haven’t been able to pass through to the Spiritrealm because of unfinished business on Earth.

Haetae (HEH-teh) a uni-horned lion-like beast, and Mago Halmi’s guardian pet. He’s known for his incredible loyalty, and his ability to manipulate time.

halmeoni (HAHL-mo-nee) Korean for grandma.

hanbok (HAHN-bohk) the traditional Korean dress or suit that witches wear in their clan colors for special occasions.

Horangi (HOH-rahng-ee) Witches of the Horangi clan are scholars and descendants of the Mountain Tiger Goddess. Their clan color is red, and their motto is Knowledge and Truth. They used to be the keepers of the sacred texts at the gifted library, but were cursed and excommunicated from the gifted community almost thirteen years ago.

hotteok (HOH-ddok) cinnamon-y sweet pancakes with a gooey brown-sugar center that Appa makes. Hands down, my favorite meal.

house-sin (house-sheen) spirits that protect the gifted’s homes. The door-sin, the kitchen-sin, and the toilet-sin are the main ones, but you can have others, too. You have to give them compliments every time you use them, or they might make your life miserable.

inmyeonjo (EEN-myon-joh) a wild creature with the body of a bird and the head of a woman. They can fly between the Godrealm and the Mortalrealm at will, and are obsessed with destroying mirrors because they hate their own reflections.

Joseon Chalice (JOH-son) a 600-year-old sacred artifact that belonged to King Sejong the Great, who ruled as the fourth king of the Joseon dynasty. He also happened to be gifted, but not many people know that.

K-drama the short way of saying Korean TV shows. Hattie, Emmett, and I have K-drama marathons every second Saturday.

K-fry a nickname for Korean fried chicken. If you haven’t tried it, you are totally missing out. Just saying.

Knock-Out Juice a sleep potion, infused by the Tokki witches, that my parents sometimes use at the clinic for saram patients (so they don’t realize they’re being healed with magic). A few drops in a cup of tea knocks you straight into a deep slumber. Useful stuff.

K-pop the short way of saying Korean pop music. Random fact: All but one of the BTS members are Gumiho. You heard it here first.

Mago Halmi (MAH-goh HAHL-mee) the mother of the three realms, mother of the six goddesses, mother of mortalkind, and mother of all creation. Basically, the head honcho who made the world.

Memoryhaze a potion, infused by the Tokki witches, that can wipe a saram’s mind of the magical things they’ve seen. It’s important for protecting the privacy and sanctity of the clans.

Miru (MEE-roo) Witches of the Miru clan are protectors and are descendants of the Water Dragon Goddess. Their clan color is blue, and their motto is Provide and Protect. Thanks to their superhuman speed and/or strength, they often guard our secret portals and entrances. They usually give off a jock-like vibe.

Moon Rabbit Goddess the patron goddess of the Tokki clan.

Mortalrealm the realm where we mortals live, aka Earth.

Mountain Tiger Goddess the patron goddess of the Horangi clan. She disowned the clan when the witches were excommunicated, though.

Nine-Tailed Fox Goddess the patron goddess of the Gumiho clan.

noraebang (NOH-reh-bahng) a Korean karaoke room. Norae is Korean for song, and bang means room.

nunchi (NOON-chee) the word you use to describe someone’s ability to pick up what’s going on or someone’s feelings without being told. Essentially, one’s ability to read a room. Surprisingly, despite his being allergic to emotions, Emmett has amazing nunchi.

Samjogo (SAHM-johk-oh) Witches of the Samjogo clan are seers and are descendants of the Three-Legged Crow Goddess. Their clan color is purple, and their motto is Leadership and Wisdom (although my appa says it should be Power and Ego, because they’re so full of hot air). Seers can get visions of truth simply by touching an item, and have premonitions in their dreams.

saram (SAH-rahm) the word we use for people who aren’t gifted with magic.

saranghaeyo (SAH-rahng-heh-yoh) Korean for I love you.

Saturday School school for witches, held only one day a week.

Spiritrealm the place we go after we die.

Taegwondo (TEH-gwon-doh) a Korean martial art. Noah Noh’s dad is a Taegwondo grandmaster and runs a famous dojang in Koreatown.

Three-Legged Crow Goddess the patron goddess of the Samjogo clan.

Tokki (TOHK-ghee) Witches of the Tokki clan are infusers and descendants of the Moon Rabbit Goddess. Their clan color is green, and their motto is Kindness and Heart. They infuse all the potions and tonics the clans use. They also run the best restaurants in town, because of their ability to infuse food with magic.

tteokbokki (DDOK-bohk-ghee) a spicy rice-cake dish that Hattie, Emmett, and I eat every other Saturday while watching our K-drama marathons. It’s even better if you melt cheese on top.

Water Dragon Goddess the patron goddess of the Miru clan.

Korean passages with English translation:

Jega gajingeon, dangsinege jumnida.

That which I have, I give to you.

Dangsini gajingeon, jega gajyeogamnida.

That which you have, I take from you.

Nae nunape inneungeot,	The thing that is in front of me,
Geurimsoge inneungeot.	Inside the picture that I see.
Nuneul keuge tteugo boseyo,	Use your eyes, look carefully,
Muni jamsi yeollyeoyo.	A door opens momentarily.