[Korean grammar] -는가 하면 Expressing Enumeration

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가: 부장님은 비위 맞추기가 너무 힘들지 않아요?
Isn’t it hard to please the whims of the department chief?

나: 네, 어느 날은 커피에 설탕을 잔뜩 넣으라고 하는가 하면 어느 날은 왜 커피에 설탕을 넣었느냐며 짜증을 내더라고요.
Yes, some days he tells me to put tons of sugar in his coffee, and other days he gets angry that I put sugar in his coffee.

가: 그래도 회사에서는 인정을 꽤 받고 있잖아요.
But even so, isn’t he quite well-respected in the company?

나: 그러 게요. 얼마 전에는 투자 유치 에 성공했는가 하면 신제품 개발도 해서 회사에 크게 기여했으니까요.
You’re right. Not long ago, he not only succeeded in attracting investment, but he also contributed a lot to the company through new product development.

1. 는가 하면 expression is used when the contents of the preceding and following clauses are either contrary to each other or simply different.
• 그 도시의 남쪽은 현대적이고 화려한가 하면 도시의 북쪽은 소박하고 옛 정취를 느끼게 한다.
The southern part of that city is very modern and fancy while the northern part is simple and old-fashioned.

• 하반기에는 경기가 좋아질 것이라고 전망하는 사람이 있는가 하면 내년까지 이런 하락세가 지속될 것이라고 보는 사람도 있다.
While there are those who believe that the prospects are good for the economy to get better during the second half of the year, others believe that the current downturn will continue until next year.

2. 는가 하면 can be used to indicate an additional fact in the following clause about the content stated in the preceding clause.
• 그 기 업은 사업 분야를 넓히는가 하면 해외 전문가들을 영입하는 데에도 적극 나서고 있다.
Not only is that company working to broaden its field of business but it’s also actively scouting out foreign professionals.

• 김민혁 선수는 이번 올림픽에서 신기록을 세웠는가 하면 기자들이 선정한 올해의 선수로도 뽑혀 최고의 해를 보내고 있다.
Not only did the athlete Kim Minhyeok achieve a new record at the most recent Olympics, but he was also chosen by reporters as the athlete of the year, so he’s having the best year of his life.

3. When expressing a situation in the past, the past tense marker ‘-았/었-’ is optional. That is, the form -는가 하면 is also acceptable.
• 김 씨는 빼돌린 공금으로 명품을 구입했는가 하면 펀드에 투자했다가 손해를 봤다고 조사됐다.
= 김 씨는 빼돌린 공금으로 명품을 구입하는가 하면 펀드에 투자했다가 손해를 봤다고 조사됐다.

빼돌리다 to pocket, to siphon (money)
공금 public funds
펀드 fund

>> You can click on the title of each grammar below to see other grammars which also express ‘Enumeration’

1. -는가 하면 
2. -느니 -느니 하다
3. -(으)라-(으)랴
4. (이)며 (이)며

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