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Grammar Intermediate TOPIK II · Level 3–4 Intermediate Korean 1 · Unit 18

-는 반면

-는 반면: Whereas — Contrast on the Other Hand

Connective phrase: while A holds, the following content contrasts with it.

Before this, make sure you know: -지만 , -아요 / -어요

How to form it

When Form Example
Verb present / process -는 반면(에) 늘어나는 반면 / 바뀌는 반면
Adjective / past -은 반면(에) 싼 반면 / 예쁜 반면 / 좋았던 반면
Full frame -는 반면에 … 가격이 싼 반면에 내구성이 약해요

-는 반면(에) puts two sides on a balance scale: A holds — on the other hand, B.

Curriculum gloss: whereas, while on the other hand. 우리말샘 반면: often as 반면에 after -은/-는 forms, marking that what follows runs contrary to what came before.

Shape

PrecedingFormExample
Processive / verb -는-는 반면(에)빠른? → adj; 늘어나는 반면
Adjective / past -은-은 반면(에)싼 반면, 예쁜 반면
가격이 싼 반면에 내구성이 약해요.
디자인이 예쁜 반면 관리가 힘들어요.
중고는 경제적인 반면에 상태가 들쭉날쭉해요.
이 제품은 조용한 반면 출력이 약해요.

Versus -지만

-지만 is the everyday though-linker. -는 반면 sounds more like written evaluation — product reviews, comparisons, careful opinions.

싸지만 약해요.                 fine spoken contrast
싼 반면에 약해요.               clearer ‘whereas’ evaluation

Product-evaluation unit

Household goods talk thrives on two-column judgments:

새 제품은 믿을 만한 반면에 가격 부담이 커요.
온라인 후기는 많은 반면에 믿을 만한 건 적어요.

Keep both halves; a lone 싼 반면 without a contrary clause feels unfinished.

Quick checks

  1. Modifier + 반면(에) + contrary clause.
  2. Adjectives → -은 반면; many verb processes → -는 반면.
  3. Time-while is a different family — here means whereas.

Ask: am I staging a clear on-the-other-hand contrast? If yes, -는 반면 earns its keep.

Do not confuse it with

-지만

but — the plain contrast, blunter than 는데

-으나

but — the written, more measured 지만

-는 대신에

instead of — swapping one action for another

Taught alongside this

On the jabi learning path, this appears in 중고 소파를 사려다가 새 제품을 샀어요 (I was looking to buy a used sofa but ended up buying a new one.) — Intermediate Korean 1, Unit 18, on the theme of daily necessities. These come with it:

-으려다가 I was going to, but then -고 말다 ended up doing it — usually regret, sometimes relief

Words used above

Tap the speaker to hear it read aloud by your browser.

-는 반면-neun banmyeonwhereas / on the other hand
반면에banmyeoneon the contrary (often after modifier)
대조daejocontrast
내구성naeguseongdurability
가성비gaseongbicost performance

Quick check

No sign-up, no score saved — just see if it stuck.

1. 가격이 싼 반면에 품질이 떨어져요 shows…

2. Why not always use -지만?

3. Which modifier fits an adjective like 싸다?

Common questions

반면 or 반면에?

Both appear. 반면에 is very common after the modifier chunk. Pattern label keeps -는 반면.

Is English while always OK?

Only the contrast while/whereas. Time-while belongs to other patterns (neun-dongane, etc.).

vs -는 대신에?

neun-daesine replaces one option with another. 반면 opposes two properties without requiring substitution.

Spoken OK?

You will hear it, but it still feels more evaluative/formal than -지만 in casual chat.