Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the workplace bullying experience of Korean nurses. Methods: Participantswere twenty current or former hospital nurses who had experienced workplace bullying. Data were collected through focusgroup and individual in-depth interviews from February to May, 2015. Theoretical sampling method was applied to the point of theoreticalsaturation. Transcribed interview contents were analyzed using Corbin and Strauss’s grounded theory method. Results: A totalof 110 concepts, 48 sub-categories, and 17 categories were identified through the open coding process. As a result of axial codingbased on the paradigm model, the central phenomenon of nurses’ workplace bullying experience was revealed as ‘teaching that hasbecome bullying’, and the core category was extracted as ‘surviving in love-hate teaching’ consisting of a four-step process: confrontingreality, trial and error, relationship formation, and settlement. The relationship formation was considered to be the key phaseto proceed to the positive settlement phase, and the participants utilized various strategies such as having an open mind, developinghuman relationships, understanding each other in this phase. Conclusion: The in-depth understanding of the workplace bullying experiencehas highlighted the importance of effective communication for cultivating desirable human relationships between nurses.