[Korean grammar] 마저 Expressing Addition and Inclusion

마저 attaches to nouns to indicate that even that noun is included or that the noun is the last thing remaining out of a group of included things. It is usually used only in negative situations.

가: 소피아 씨, 봄이 되니까 고향에 있는 남자 친구가 더 보고 싶지 않아요?
Sophia, now that it’s spring, aren’t you eager to see your boyfriend back home?

나: 전화는 매일 하지만 아무래도 눈에서 멀어지니까 마음마저 멀어지는 것 같아요. 확실히 사랑은 변하나 봐요.
We talk on the phone daily, but since we can’t physically see each other due to the distance, it seems like distance grows between our hearts as well. It seems like love definitely changes.

가: 아이고, 사랑이 제일이라던 소피아 씨마저 그런 말을 하는 걸 보면 그 말이 틀린 말은 아닌가 보네요.
Oh my, seeing even you, Sophia, who once said that love is everything, say something like that makes me think that maybe it isn’t everything after all.

나: 그렇지요? 저도 제가 이런 마음을 가지게 될 줄은 몰랐어요.
Right? I also had no idea that I would ever feel like this.

• 그동안 서로 바빠서 만나지 못하다가 연락마저 끊기고 말았다.
We were so busy that we couldn’t meet, and then we even stopped contacting each other altogether.

• 이제 그 사건의 마지막 생존자마저 숨을 거두었으니 사건은 미궁에 빠지게 되었다.
Now that the last survivor of that incident has passed away, the case has become shrouded in mystery.

• 그 나라는 오랫동안 진행된 내전으로 노인과 어린이들마저 전쟁에 동원되고 있는 실정이다.
Because that country has been engaged in a long-term civil war, even the elderly and children have been mobilized for war.

This expression can be replaced with ‘까지’ with almost no change in meaning.
• 그동안 서로 바빠서 만나지 못하다가 연락까지 끊기고 말았다.
• 그 나라는 오랫동안 진행된 내전으로 노인과 어린이들까지 전쟁에 동원되고 있는 실정이다.

However, while  ‘마저’ can only be used in negative statements ‘까지’ can be used in both positive and negative statements.
• 미경 씨는 똑똑하고 마음씨도 곱고 얼굴마저 예쁘다. (X)
• 미경 씨는 똑똑하고 마음씨도 곱고 얼굴까지 예쁘다. (〇)

While the expressions 조차 and 마저 can both be used interchangeably in negative statements to indicate the addition of some fact or state of affairs to what has already been stated, note the following differences between them.