죽는 줄 알았어

I thought I was going to die

→ 죽다

phrase Rare #30,544

I thought I was going to die Often used as an exaggeration to say you were overwhelmed by an intense feeling or experience, not that you were literally close to dying.

KO: 너무 긴장해서 죽는 줄 알았어.

EN: I was so nervous I thought I was going to die.

웃겨 죽는 줄 알았어

I thought I was going to die laughing.

— 인생은 아름다워 (1997)

난 웃겨 죽는 줄 알았어

I thought I was going to die laughing.

— 굿바이, 레닌 (2003)

무서워서 죽는 줄 알았어

I was so scared I thought I was going to die.

— 추억의 마니 (2014)

슬퍼서 죽는 줄 알았어 대체 왜 그랬어?

I thought I was going to die from sadness. Why on earth did you do that?

— "폭풍의 언덕" (2026)