은근히 + adjective/verb · adjective: 은근하다
subtly, quietly, secretly; surprisingly, kind of
Example
별 기대 없이 봤는데 그 영화가 은근히 재미있었어요.
I watched it without much expectation, but the movie was surprisingly fun.
Word parts
Originally 'courteously, discreetly'; now 'quietly, more than it seems'.
Good to know
In casual speech, 은근히 often means 'surprisingly, kind of': 은근히 어렵다 'surprisingly tricky'.
Related words