Grammar
-(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고
Meaning
Advanced-(eu)medo bulguhago
A formal written connective. The verb is first turned into a noun with -(으)ㅁ (했음, 넘었음, 완판됐음), then 에도 불구하고 marks a strong contrast: the second clause happens even though the first is true. It belongs to news and report writing; in speech people say -는데도 instead.
Form
First nominalise the clause with -(으)ㅁ: vowel-ending and ㄹ-ending stems take -ㅁ (가다 → 감, 크다 → 큼, 만들다 → 만듦), consonant-ending stems take -음 (높다 → 높음, 넘다 → 넘음). A finished event takes -았/었- before it, and that past shape is the one news writing uses most: 높았음, 끝났음, 넘었음. Then 에도 불구하고 follows the noun you have just made. It also attaches straight to a plain noun — 악천후에도 불구하고 ('despite the bad weather'), 반대에도 불구하고 — and 그럼에도 불구하고 is the fixed sentence-opening form meaning 'nevertheless'. The clause after it states what happened anyway.
Examples
청약률이 높았음에도 불구하고 발행 규모는 줄었습니다.
Despite the high subscription rate, the issuance size was cut.
비가 많이 왔음에도 불구하고 행사는 예정대로 열렸습니다.
Despite the heavy rain, the event was held as scheduled.
가격이 올랐음에도 불구하고 손님은 줄지 않았습니다.
Despite the price increase, the number of customers did not fall.
악천후에도 불구하고 비행기는 제시간에 도착했습니다.
Despite the bad weather, the plane arrived on time.
Common mistakes & nuance
The 도 is part of the set phrase: write 에도 불구하고, not 에 불구하고. 불구하고 is one word and always comes after it. And because the whole thing is heavy, it is out of place in conversation — 비가 왔는데도 or 비가 왔지만 is what a person would actually say.
Similar grammar
- -지만
-지만 is the plain, everyday 'but' and simply joins two clauses. -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 does the same job with much more force and formality: it insists that the second clause is surprising given the first.
- -는데도
-는데도 is the spoken equivalent, attaching straight to the verb stem with no nominalisation (비가 오는데도). Use it in conversation and keep -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 for written reports and news.