-(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 Grammar in Korean: Meaning and How to Use It

What you'll learn

• Turn verbs and adjectives into nouns with (으)ㅁ.
• Add 에도 불구하고 and keep the whole chunk together.
• Use the pattern with nouns, such as 반대에도 불구하고.
• Choose between -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고, -(으)ㄴ/는데도 and -(으)ㄹ지라도.

Prerequisites: the ending -(으)ㄴ/는데도 and the past tense -았/었-. Time: about 15 minutes.

Key facts

• -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 means "in spite of": a real fact, then a result that is surprising.
• Form: stem + (으)ㅁ + 에도 불구하고. A noun takes 에도 불구하고 directly.
• Past: 았/었음에도 불구하고. This is the most common form in news.
• The whole chunk 에도 불구하고 is needed. 불구하고 alone is a mistake.
• It is formal and written. In speech, people say -(으)ㄴ/는데도.

Listen to two model sentences.

The next section defines the pattern.

What Does -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 Grammar Mean?

-(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 means "in spite of" or "despite". A connective ending is a word or ending that joins one clause to the next. This pattern joins a real fact to a result that goes against what you would expect from the fact.

The pattern is built from three parts. The first is (으)ㅁ, which turns a verb or an adjective into a noun. The second is 에도, which means "even in" or "even at". The third is 불구하고, from the verb 불구하다 (不拘), which means "to disregard". Put together, 비가 옴에도 불구하고 means "disregarding the fact that it rains".

The fact is real. The writer is not imagining a case, as in -(으)ㄹ지라도. The writer states what is true and then reports a result that is surprising in view of it. That is why the pattern is common in news reports: 폭설에도 불구하고 ("despite heavy snow"), 반대에도 불구하고 ("despite opposition").

Here are two glossed examples.

In both sentences, the result is in the plain written style (-다), the style of news and essays. This is typical.

The next section shows how to build the form.

How Do You Form -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고?

The rule has two steps. First, make a noun from the stem. The stem is the verb or adjective without its dictionary ending -다. For 오다 the stem is 오. Add ㅁ after a vowel and 음 after a consonant. Second, add 에도 불구하고.

The sound changes are simple liaison. The final consonant of the noun form links to the vowel of 에, so 많음에도 sounds like [마느메도]. Revised Romanization (RR) is a spelling system that writes sounds in Latin letters. RR writes the linked sound, so it shows maneumedo. In the past forms, the ㅆ links in the same way: 왔음에도 is said [와쓰메도].

Stems Ending in a Vowel

Vowel stems take ㅁ directly: 오다 gives 옴, 하다 gives 함, and 되다 gives 됨. For verbs made with 하다, add ㅁ to 하: 노력하다 gives 노력함. In practice, writers prefer the past form with 했음: 노력했음에도 불구하고.

Stems Ending in a Consonant

Consonant stems take 음: 많다 gives 많음, 있다 gives 있음, and 없다 gives 없음. The past form adds 았/었 first: 늙었음에도 불구하고.

Irregular Stems and Nouns

The ㅂ-irregular stems change to 우 before a vowel, so 어렵다 gives 어려움 and 춥다 gives 추움. Do not write 어렵음. The ㄹ stems add ㅁ to the ㄹ: 알다 gives 앎, and 살다 gives 삶. These two are rare in this pattern.

For nouns, skip the first step: add 에도 불구하고 directly. 반대에도 불구하고 means "despite opposition", and 노력에도 불구하고 means "despite the effort". For nouns made with 이다, use 임: 학생임에도 불구하고 means "despite being a student".

The next section builds a full sentence.

Worked Example: Building 피곤했음에도 불구하고 끝까지 일했다

Say "Despite being tired, he worked to the end." Follow five steps.

1. Write the fact. "He was tired" is 피곤했다 in the plain past. The adjective is 피곤하다.
2. Find the past stem. The past stem is 피곤했.
3. Make the noun. The past stem ends in a consonant (ㅆ), so add 음: 피곤했음. Remove the plain ending 다, because the ending belongs to the last verb only.
4. Add the chunk. 피곤했음에도 불구하고 means "despite being tired". Leave a space before 불구하고.
5. Write the surprising result. "He worked to the end" is 끝까지 일했다. Join the two parts: 피곤했음에도 불구하고 끝까지 일했다.

You'll know it worked when the first clause ends in 불구하고 with nothing after it, and the sentence ends with a single plain-style ending. Try the same steps with "Despite the difficulties, he succeeded": 어려움에도 불구하고 그는 성공했다.

The next section covers tense and sentence types.

Which Tenses and Sentence Types Work with -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고?

Tense lives in the noun form, because the stem takes 았/었 before 음. The fact is nearly always already true, so the past form 았/었음에도 is the most common. The present form 옴에도 and 많음에도 describes a state that is true now. Past tense -았/었- is explained in full on its own page, so this page does not repeat it.

The result clause is a statement, usually in the past. The plain style (-ㄴ/는다, -다) is the verb form used in news and essays. Questions are rare. Commands and suggestions do not follow this pattern, because the fact is real and the result is already known. If you need "even if" for a case that has not happened, use -(으)ㄹ지라도 or -더라도.

The honorific -(으)시- goes before 았/었: 바쁘셨음에도 불구하고 참석해 주셨다 means "Despite being busy, he or she kindly attended."

The next section compares -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 with its neighbours.

How Is -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 Different from -(으)ㄴ/는데도?

All three patterns below mean "even though" or "even if", and that is why learners mix them up. The difference is the register and whether the fact is real. The same rainy day is told three ways.

Spoken forms: 비가 오는데도 경기가 열렸어요 is [비가 오는데도 경기가 열려써요] (RR biga oneundedo gyeonggiga yeollyeosseoyo), and 비가 올지라도 경기는 열릴 것이다 is [비가 올찌라도 경기는 열릴꺼시다] (RR biga oljirado gyeonggineun yeollil geosida).

The key test is whether the fact is real. If the rain is a fact, use -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 or -(으)ㄴ/는데도. If you only imagine the rain, use -(으)ㄹ지라도 or -더라도. Compare these two.

• 내일 비가 옴에도 불구하고 갈 거예요. (does not fit) Tomorrow's rain is not yet a fact.
• 내일 비가 오더라도 갈 거예요. ("Even if it rains tomorrow, I will go.") An imagined case. -더라도 fits.

A fourth pattern, -(으)ㄹ망정, also means "even if" and adds "I would rather accept X than ...". A neighbouring contrast pattern is -(으)ㄴ/는 반면(에), which weighs two sides instead of stating a surprise.

The next section covers set phrases and edge cases.

Variations and Edge Cases of -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고

Set Phrases

Some forms of the pattern appear again and again in speech and writing. They are worth learning as chunks.

The phrase 그럼에도 불구하고 starts a sentence and means "in spite of that". It refers back to the fact in the sentence before. 비가 왔다. 그럼에도 불구하고 경기는 열렸다 means "It rained. Nevertheless, the game was played." The short form 그럼에도 is also very common.

The Spoken Combination

In speech, many people attach 불구하고 to -(으)ㄴ/는데도 for emphasis: 비가 오는데도 불구하고 경기가 열렸어요. The meaning is the same as 비가 오는데도, with more weight. The form is fine in speech and in writing, and it avoids the noun ending. Note that the 도 of 는데도 stays in front of 불구하고: 비가 오는데 불구하고 is still wrong.

Nouns First

When the fact is a noun, the pattern is simple and very common: 폭설에도 불구하고, 반대에도 불구하고, 노력에도 불구하고. You do not need a verb. A noun of this kind is often a word for a difficulty, a warning, an effort or an opposition.

The Word 불구하다

The verb 불구하다 means "to disregard". It appears in this pattern, and you will not see it in many other places. Learn 에도 불구하고 as one block. A comma after the block is optional.

The next section lists the mistakes that appear most often.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고?

Learners make six predictable mistakes. Each has a reason and a fix.

Learners often drop 에도 and write 불구하고 alone. Actually the whole chunk 에도 불구하고 is needed. Wrong: 어려움에 불구하고 and 비가 오는데 불구하고. Right: 어려움에도 불구하고 and 비가 오는데도 불구하고. Fix: always write 에도 불구하고 together.

Learners often attach 에도 to a bare stem. Actually the stem must be turned into a noun first. Wrong: 비가 오에도 불구하고. Right: 비가 옴에도 불구하고. Fix: add (으)ㅁ before 에도.

Learners often write the wrong noun form for a ㅂ-irregular stem. Actually ㅂ changes to 우. Wrong: 어렵음에도 불구하고. Right: 어려움에도 불구하고. Fix: use the 우 form: 어려움, 추움.

Learners often use it for a case that has not happened. Actually the pattern states a fact. Wrong: 내일 비가 옴에도 불구하고 갈 거예요. Right: 내일 비가 오더라도 갈 거예요. Fix: use -더라도 or -(으)ㄹ지라도 for an imagined case.

Learners often use it in casual conversation. Actually it is formal and written. A stiff sentence to a friend: 피곤했음에도 불구하고 왔어. A natural one: 피곤한데도 왔어. Fix: use -(으)ㄴ/는데도 or -지만 when you speak.

Learners often put a polite ending inside. Actually the pattern attaches to the stem. Wrong: 피곤해요음에도 불구하고. Right: 피곤했음에도 불구하고. Fix: put a tense marker like 았/었 inside, but never the polite ending 요.

The next section gives you practice.

Practice and Answers

Do the four tasks, then compare with the key.

Task 1: join the sentences with -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고. Write one sentence for each pair.

1. 비가 왔다. / 경기가 열렸다.
2. 피곤했다. / 끝까지 일했다.
3. 어려움이 있었다. / 그는 성공했다.
4. 나이가 많다. / 그는 매일 운동한다.

Task 2: fix the error. Each sentence has one mistake. Rewrite it correctly.

1. 어려움에 불구하고 그는 성공했다.
2. 날씨가 춥음에도 불구하고 사람들이 모였다.
3. 비가 오는데 불구하고 경기가 열렸다.

Task 3: translate. Write in Korean: "Despite opposition, he pushed the plan forward." and "Nevertheless, he did not give up."

Task 4: write your own. Write one sentence with a noun and 에도 불구하고, and one with 그럼에도 불구하고.

Answer key

1. (1) 비가 왔음에도 불구하고 경기가 열렸다. (2) 피곤했음에도 불구하고 끝까지 일했다. (3) 어려움이 있었음에도 불구하고 그는 성공했다. (4) 나이가 많음에도 불구하고 그는 매일 운동한다.
2. (1) 어려움에도 불구하고 그는 성공했다. (2) 날씨가 추움에도 불구하고 사람들이 모였다. (3) 비가 오는데도 불구하고 경기가 열렸다.
3. 반대에도 불구하고 그는 계획을 추진했다. 그럼에도 불구하고 그는 포기하지 않았다. Other correct versions exist, for example 반대했음에도 불구하고 with a verb.
4. Sample answers: 폭설에도 불구하고 기차는 정시에 출발했다. 그럼에도 불구하고 사람들은 계속 노력했다. Any pair is correct if the whole chunk 에도 불구하고 is present and the result is surprising.

If task 1 was correct, you have the formation rule. If task 2 was hard, check whether you dropped 에도, wrote the wrong noun form, or used a bare stem. The next section points you to what comes after this lesson.

What Should You Learn after -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 Grammar?

After -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고, learn -(으)ㄴ/는데도 if you have not yet studied the spoken partner, and -(으)ㄴ/는 반면(에) for weighing two sides. For an imagined case, go to -(으)ㄹ지라도 or -더라도. The particle inside 에도 is explained in also particle 도.

For a wider view, the parent page Contrast and Concession lists every connector in this group. To plan by level, use Advanced Grammar.

This lesson covers -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 in the plain, polite and formal styles. It does not cover every written variation. About this page. Last updated 2026-10-09. Revised Romanization follows the national rules and is shown only as a learning aid.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 Mean?

-(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 means "in spite of" or "despite". It states a real fact and then a result that goes against what you would expect. 비가 왔음에도 불구하고 경기가 열렸다 means "Despite the rain, the game was played." It is a formal pattern, common in news and essays.

How Do I Attach -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 to a Verb or Adjective?

Turn the stem into a noun with (으)ㅁ, then add 에도 불구하고. A vowel stem takes ㅁ (옴, 함), a consonant stem takes 음 (많음, 있음), and a ㅂ-irregular stem takes 움 (어려움). A noun skips the first step: 반대에도 불구하고. Keep the past marker if needed: 피곤했음에도 불구하고.

Can -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 Be Used in the past Tense?

Yes. Put 았/었 before the noun ending 음: 왔음에도 불구하고, 했음에도 불구하고, 피곤했음에도 불구하고. This is the most common form, because the pattern usually reports a fact that has already happened. The present form 옴에도 불구하고 describes a state that is true now or a general fact.

Is -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 Used in Speech or Only in Writing?

It is mainly written and formal. You see it in news reports, essays, official speeches and reports. In everyday conversation, people say -(으)ㄴ/는데도 or -지만 instead. Using the full form with a friend sounds stiff. A short phrase such as 그럼에도 불구하고 ("nevertheless") is common in both speech and writing.

What Is the Most Common Mistake with -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고?

Dropping 에도 and writing 불구하고 alone. 비가 오는데 불구하고 and 어려움에 불구하고 are wrong. The whole chunk 에도 불구하고 is needed, so say 비가 오는데도 불구하고 or 어려움에도 불구하고. Another frequent mistake is writing 어렵음 instead of the ㅂ-irregular noun 어려움.

What Is the Difference between -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 and -(으)ㄴ/는데도?

Both state a real fact with a surprising result. -(으)ㄴ/는데도 is spoken and plain, and it attaches to a clause. -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 is formal and written, and it also attaches to a noun. 비가 오는데도 경기가 열렸어요 is conversation. 비가 왔음에도 불구하고 경기가 열렸다 is a news sentence.

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