-든지: Open Choice and Complete Indifference — Whichever / Whether

The versatile connective ending and auxiliary particle -든지 is Korean’s definitive grammatical vehicle for expressing open selection, unconditional flexibility, and total indifference among alternatives:

$$ \text{Option A} \textbf{든지 } \text{Option B} \textbf{든지 } \longrightarrow \text{“Whether A or B, whichever you choose is completely fine!”}$$

Whether presenting options to a customer, answering an invitation, or declaring that an outcome will not change regardless of external circumstances, -든지 guarantees that the choice is left completely open.

1. Core Communicative Roles of ‘-든지’

1. Offering Open, Unrestricted Choice (A든지 B든지)

When you present alternatives to someone, demonstrating that you have no rigid preference:

커피를 마시든지 홍차를 마시든지 편한 대로 고르세요.
Whether you drink coffee or black tea, choose whatever is most comfortable for you.

내일 출발하든지 모레 출발하든지 일정은 상관없습니다.
Whether we depart tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, the schedule doesn't matter.

환불을 받든지 다른 상품으로 교환하든지 고객님의 선택에 따르겠습니다.
Whether you receive a refund or exchange for another product, we will follow your choice.

2. Universal Wh-Compounds (Interrogative Pronoun + -든지)

When attached to question words (무엇, 누구, 언제, 어디, 어떻게), -든지 transforms them into comprehensive universal quantifiers:

3. Indifference to External Conditions (-든지 간에)

Stating that an ongoing resolve or principle will not budge no matter which condition materializes:

남들이 뭐라고 비난하든지 간에, 나는 내 신념을 굽히지 않겠다.
No matter what others say in criticism, I will not bend my convictions.

비가 쏟아지든지 눈보라가 치든지 간에 경기는 예정대로 진행됩니다.
Whether rain pours or a blizzard strikes, the match will proceed as scheduled.

2. The #1 Spelling Nightmare in Korea: ‘-든지’ vs. ‘-던지’

Native Korean speakers and foreign learners alike constantly misspell these two homophonous endings. The distinction is crystal clear once you memorize the Functional Mnemonic:

$\begin{aligned} \textbf{-든지} &\longrightarrow \textbf{선택 (Choice / Flexibility: “Whichever”)} \ \textbf{-던지} &\longrightarrow \textbf{회상 (Retrospection / Past Memory: “I recall how…”)} \end{aligned}$$

Comparative Diagnostics:

[Case 1: Open Choice]
✅ 밥을 먹든지 빵을 먹든지 네 마음대로 해. (Eat rice or bread, do as you please).
❌ 밥을 먹던지 빵을 먹던지... (Severe misspelling!).

[Case 2: Past Sensory Recollection]
✅ 어제 날씨가 얼마나 춥던지 귀가 다 떨어져 나갈 뻔했다.
   (You have no idea how cold it was yesterday; my ears almost fell off!).
❌ 어제 날씨가 얼마나 춥든지... (Severe misspelling!).

3. ‘-든지’ vs. ‘-는지’ vs. ‘-거나’

The Pragmatic Difference:

• “주말에 영화를 보거나 친구를 만나요.” (Neutral: I do X or Y as a general habit).
• “영화를 보든지 친구를 만나든지 알아서 해.” (Indifferent / Dismissive: Watch a movie or meet a friend, figure it out yourself; I don’t care).

4. Spoken Contraction: The ‘-든’ Phenomenon

In everyday colloquial Korean, the syllable 지 is dropped in almost 90% of informal conversations:

• 가든지 말든지 → 가든 말든
• 좋든지 싫든지 → 좋든 싫든
• 무엇이든지 → 뭐든지 / 뭐든
• 누구든지 → 누구든

좋든 싫든 이 프로젝트는 이번 주 안에 끝내야만 한다.
Whether we like it or hate it, this project must be finished within this week.

뭐든 시켜만 주시면 최선을 다해 해내겠습니다!
Whatever you assign me, I will do my absolute best to accomplish it!

5. Summary Diagnostic Checklist

To write and speak with -든지 flawlessly:

1. Are you listing open choices where any option is acceptable? Use -든지 (e.g., 하든지 말든지).
2. Are you combining with a Wh-word to say ‘anyone/anything/anywhere’? Use -(이)든지 (e.g., 누구든지, 언제든지).
3. Are you recalling a vivid past experience? STOP! Do NOT use -든지; use the retrospective marker -던지 (e.g., 얼마나 춥던지).
4. Are you embedding an indirect factual question? Switch to -는지 (e.g., 어디로 가는지 몰라요).