모로 가도 서울만 가면 된다
sideways go-even seoul-only go-if becomes
Even going sideways one will only get to Seoul.
I’m not sure about the grammar of the last part – it seems to be a kind of periphrastic future using the verb 되다 (become). Regardless, this seems to offer a number of possible proverbial meanings. At first, it seemed to mean “All roads lead to Rome.” But looking it up, you also see offered “The ends justify the means,” as well as “It doesn’t matter which way you take to reach your destination.” These all seem related.
Yesterday I must have gone sideways into the subway, because I ended up in Seoul. But that doesn’t seem to happen much, as I commented – perhaps I don’t go sideways often enough?
Why do I spend so much time studying grammar, when it’s vocabulary that’s my problem? Because I enjoy studying grammar, whereas vocabulary causes me pain.
