"It Tasted Like Persimmon, So I Thought It Was Persimmon"
Original Korean title
홍시맛이 나서 홍시라 생각했는데
A viral circular-logic catchphrase from the 2003 Korean historical drama Jewel in the Palace, spoken by the child version of the lead character.
Originated around 2003Last updated: August 4, 2026
What does it mean?
In the MBC drama Jewel in the Palace, the young Jang-geum describes the taste of a dish as persimmon, and when the head court lady presses her on how she knows, she circularly answers that she thought it was persimmon because it tasted like persimmon. The scene became so widely parodied that the line seemed to turn up on TV constantly.
Where did it start?
A line from episode 5 of MBC's Jewel in the Palace, broadcast September 29, 2003.
How is it used?
Quoted playfully to point out an answer that is circular or doesn't actually explain anything.
Ratings by context haven't been confirmed yet.