TOPIK II · LEVEL 6
-을/를 막론하고
N을/를 막론하고 means that something holds true no matter which case of N you take, so no exception is made.
격식 표현Formal & written phrasesHan: 막론하다 is a transitive verb, so it needs 을/를; learners carry over 에 from 상관없이/관계없이.
Examples
이 축제는 남녀노소를 막론하고 누구나 즐길 수 있다.Anyone can enjoy this festival, regardless of age or gender.
지위 고하를 막론하고 규정을 어긴 사람은 징계를 받게 된다.Anyone who breaks the rules will be disciplined, regardless of rank.
이유 여하를 막론하고 폭력은 정당화될 수 없습니다.Whatever the reason, violence cannot be justified.
동서고금을 막론하고 교육은 국가 발전의 기반이 되어 왔다.In all times and places, education has been the foundation of national development.
Don’t mix up
-을/를 막론하고vsN에 상관없이 / N과 관계없이Same idea, but neutral and fine in daily speech; 막론하고 is formal and emphatic: 날씨에 상관없이 매일 산책해요.
-을/를 막론하고vsN을/를 불문하고Nearly synonymous and also formal, but 불문 can stand alone in ads and notices, which 막론 cannot: 나이 불문, 경력 불문.
-을/를 막론하고vsN(이)든 N(이)든Lists specific alternatives and is conversational, while 막론하고 takes one noun covering the whole range: 커피든 차든 아무거나 주세요.
How to build it
N+을/를 막론하고
남녀노소 → 남녀노소를 막론하고
- It attaches to nouns, usually ones that cover a whole range: pairs or opposites (남녀노소, 국내외, 지위 고하) or 여하/누구. With a verb idea, turn it into a noun first: 성공 여부를 막론하고.
- 막론하다 takes the object particle 을/를, not 에 (unlike 상관없이 or 관계없이).
- It belongs to formal writing, news and speeches; in everyday conversation it sounds stiff, so 상관없이 is usually preferred.
- The main clause usually states something that applies to every case: a general fact, rule or duty, rather than a one-off personal plan.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 이 프로그램은 남녀노소에 막론하고 인기가 많다.
Right: 이 프로그램은 남녀노소를 막론하고 인기가 많다.
막론하다 is a transitive verb, so it needs 을/를; learners carry over 에 from 상관없이/관계없이.
Practise -을/를 막론하고 on real TOPIK questions
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All TOPIK grammar- -에 있어서Marks the area or aspect in which a statement holds true, like 'when it comes to N / in N / for N'; it is used mainly in formal writing and speeches.
- -에 힘입어Names a supporting force, such as encouragement or a favorable trend, that helped bring about a good result: 'buoyed by / thanks to N'.
- -을/를 무릅쓰고N을/를 무릅쓰고 means you knowingly face a danger, hardship or opposition and still deliberately go ahead with an action.
- -을/를 불문하고N을/를 불문하고 means "no matter what N is": the statement applies equally to every kind or degree of N, and it is used mainly in formal or written Korean.
- -건대-건대 attaches to verbs like 'see', 'hear', 'think' or 'wish' and introduces the speaker's own viewpoint before a statement: 'as I see it…', 'as I hear…'.
- -(으)매-(으)매 is a bookish, literary way to say 'because' or 'as', linking a cause to its natural result in formal writing.
- -(으)나 -(으)나Two paired or opposite verbs/adjectives, each with -(으)나, mean 'whichever of these is the case, the following stays the same', which often amounts to 'regardless' or 'all the time'.
- -(으)락 -(으)락Joins two opposite actions or states to show that they keep switching back and forth.
- -(으)랴 -(으)랴Lists two (or more) tasks a person is juggling at the same time to stress that they are extremely busy or worn out.
