고 모으다

gather and gather, save up

Doubling the verb as 모으고 모으다 stresses long, patient accumulation, and money is the usual object: 돈을 모으고 모아서 그걸 사고 싶어서. The undoubled lines here are about saving too, and they are complaints about how long it takes: 연봉 2억이 한 푼도 안 쓰고 모아도, 15년 동안 한 푼도 안 쓰고 모아야. It works for gathering other things as well — firepower, collected recordings, even air held in the mouth (입안에 공기를 모았다가).

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