What Does "baegopa" (배고파) Mean in Korean?

This is a very common and natural way to express hunger, typically used in casual settings among friends, family, or people of similar age/status. While not overtly rude, it's generally not used when addressing elders or superiors; one might use a more formal '배고픕니다' or '배고파요' (though '배고파요' is still quite common even in semi-formal situations) in those contexts, or phrase it as a question like '식사하셨습니까?' (Have you eaten?). It's a simple, direct statement of need.