-고 보니(까) (Now that)

-고 보니(까) means "now that," "when I look/think about it," or "having done [something]." It expresses realization or discovery after doing something or reconsidering a situation.

Structure

Verb stem + -고 보니(까)

Breakdown:

• -고: Connective ending (and)
• 보니(까): Seeing/looking (from 보다 + -니까)
• Combined meaning: "And when I see/think..." → "Now that..."

Literal meaning: "Doing [X] and seeing..." → "Having done/thought about it..."

Formation Rules

With All Action Verbs

Verb stem + -고 보니(까):

• 하다 → 하고 보니(까) (having done)
• 먹다 → 먹고 보니(까) (having eaten)
• 생각하다 → 생각하고 보니(까) (having thought)
• 듣다 → 듣고 보니(까) (having heard)
• 오다 → 오고 보니(까) (having come)

With or Without 까

Both forms are acceptable:

• 하고 보니 (now that I did)
• 하고 보니까 (now that I did)

Note: 까 adds slight emphasis but meaning is the same

Core Meaning: Realization After Action

Discovery Through Action

Realizing something after doing it:

• 먹고 보니 맛있었어요 (Having eaten it, it was delicious)
• 해 보고 보니 쉬웠어요 (Having tried it, it was easy)
• 와 보고 보니 좋았어요 (Having come, it was good)
• 듣고 보니 맞는 말이에요 (Having heard it, it makes sense)

Realization Upon Reflection

Reconsidering and realizing:

• 생각해 보고 보니 틀렸어요 (Thinking about it, I was wrong)
• 다시 보고 보니 달랐어요 (Looking again, it was different)
• 자세히 보고 보니 알겠어요 (Looking closely, I understand)

Hindsight

Looking back and realizing:

• 돌아보고 보니 후회돼요 (Looking back, I regret it)
• 지나고 보니 좋았어요 (Now that it's passed, it was good)
• 끝나고 보니 아쉬워요 (Now that it's over, I feel regretful)

Common Usage Patterns

Changed Perception

Opinion changes after experience:

• 먹고 보니 별로였어요 (Having eaten it, it wasn't great)
• 와 보고 보니 멀었어요 (Having come, it was far)
• 해 보고 보니 어려웠어요 (Having tried, it was difficult)

Discovery

Finding out something new:

• 듣고 보니 알겠어요 (Having heard, I understand)
• 보고 보니 아는 사람이었어요 (Having looked, it was someone I know)
• 조사하고 보니 사실이었어요 (Having investigated, it was true)

Hindsight Wisdom

Wisdom gained from experience:

• 살아 보고 보니 알겠어요 (Having lived, I understand)
• 경험해 보고 보니 이해돼요 (Having experienced, I understand)
• 나이 먹고 보니 부모님 말씀이 맞았어요 (Having aged, my parents were right)

With Different Verbs

생각하다 (Think)

생각하고 보니(까): Now that I think about it

• 생각하고 보니 맞아요 (Now that I think about it, it's right)
• 생각해 보니 틀렸어요 (Thinking about it, I was wrong)

듣다 (Hear)

듣고 보니(까): Now that I hear it

• 듣고 보니 좋은 생각이에요 (Hearing it, it's a good idea)
• 들어 보니 맞는 말이에요 (Having heard, it makes sense)

보다 (See)

보고 보니(까): Now that I see it

• 보고 보니 다르네요 (Now that I see it, it's different)
• 봐 보니 예뻐요 (Having looked at it, it's pretty)

Politeness Levels

Formal (합니다체)

• 하고 보니 쉬웠습니다 (Having done it, it was easy)
• 생각하고 보니 맞습니다 (Thinking about it, it's right)

Polite (해요체)

• 하고 보니 쉬웠어요 (Having done it, it was easy)
• 생각하고 보니 맞아요 (Thinking about it, it's right)

Casual (반말)

• 하고 보니 쉬웠어 (Having done it, it was easy)
• 생각하고 보니 맞아 (Thinking about it, it's right)

Common Expressions

Reflection Phrases

• 생각하고 보니(까) (now that I think about it)
• 다시 보고 보니(까) (looking again)
• 돌아보고 보니(까) (looking back)
• 곰곰이 생각하고 보니(까) (thinking carefully)

Experience-Based

• 해 보고 보니(까) (having tried)
• 먹고 보니(까) (having eaten)
• 살아 보고 보니(까) (having lived)
• 경험하고 보니(까) (having experienced)

Discovery

• 듣고 보니(까) (having heard)
• 보고 보니(까) (having looked)
• 알고 보니(까) (having found out)
• 조사하고 보니(까) (having investigated)

Special Pattern: 알고 보니(까)

Finding Out The Truth

Discovering reality:

• 알고 보니 거짓말이었어요 (Finding out, it was a lie)
• 알고 보니 친구였어요 (Turns out, it was a friend)
• 알고 보니 다른 사람이었어요 (Finding out, it was a different person)
• 알고 보니 쉬웠어요 (Finding out, it was easy)

Comparison with Similar Patterns

-고 보니(까) vs -아/어 보니(까)

-고 보니(까): General "having done"

• 하고 보니 쉬웠어요 (Having done, it was easy)

-아/어 보니(까): "Having tried"

• 해 보니 쉬웠어요 (Having tried, it was easy)

Note: Very similar, -아/어 보니 emphasizes trying/testing

-고 보니(까) vs -고 나서

-고 보니(까): Realization after action

• 먹고 보니 맛있었어요 (Having eaten, it was delicious - realized)
• Emphasizes discovery/realization

-고 나서: After doing (sequential)

• 먹고 나서 배불렀어요 (After eating, I was full)
• Simple sequence, no emphasis on realization

-고 보니(까) vs -다가 보니(까)

-고 보니(까): After completing action

• 하고 보니 쉬웠어요 (Having done, it was easy)

-다가 보니(까): Through continued action

• 하다가 보니 익숙해졌어요 (As I kept doing, I got used to it)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 좋고 보니

Doesn't work well with adjectives

✅ Correct: 생각하고 보니 좋아요

Use with action verbs

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❌ Incorrect: 하고 봤어요

Wrong conjugation

✅ Correct: 하고 보니 OR 해 보니

Use -고 보니(까) pattern or -아/어 보니

Summary Table

Pattern	Example	Meaning
-고 보니(까)	하고 보니	Having done / now that I did
생각하고 보니	생각하고 보니	Now that I think about it
듣고 보니	듣고 보니	Having heard / now that I hear
알고 보니	알고 보니	Finding out / turns out
해 보고 보니	해 보고 보니	Having tried

Usage Context Guide

Use -고 보니(까) when:

• Realizing something after doing
• Reflecting and reconsidering
• Sharing hindsight
• Expressing changed opinion
• Discovering through experience

Common contexts:

• Changed perceptions (먹고 보니 맛있었다)
• Hindsight (지나고 보니)
• Reflection (생각하고 보니)
• Discovery (알고 보니)
• Experience-based learning

Nuance

Emphasizes Realization

Focus on the moment of understanding:

• 해 보고 보니 재미있었어요 (Having tried, it was fun - I realized)
• Not just "it was fun," but "I discovered it was fun"

Often Implies Surprise

Discovery is somewhat unexpected:

• 먹고 보니 맛있었어요 (Having eaten, it was delicious - surprisingly)

Key Takeaways

• ✅ Realization after action: Having done something
• ✅ Reflection: Now that I think about it
• ✅ Discovery: Finding out through experience
• ✅ 까 optional: Both -고 보니 and -고 보니까 work
• ✅ With action verbs: Doesn't work with adjectives
• ✅ Common patterns: 생각하고 보니, 알고 보니
• ✅ Hindsight wisdom: Looking back and realizing

-고 보니(까) is essential for expressing realization, reflection, and discovery in Korean, particularly when your understanding or opinion changes after experiencing or reconsidering something.