This is the 86th most frequent Korean word.
그러면서
"At the same time" or "while doing so."
Here, '그러면서' is used to show contrast in simultaneous emotions or actions—'smiling' and 'crying' occur together, delivering a complex emotional state.
그녀는 웃었다. 그러면서 눈물을 흘렸다.
She smiled. At the same time, she shed tears.
In this instance, '그러면서' connects two clauses to emphasize the simultaneous occurrence of constructive criticism and assistance.
그는 지적하며 그러면서 도와줬다.
He pointed out mistakes and at the same time helped out.
In this sentence, '그러면서' is used to indicate simultaneous actions—'sat down' and 'drinking coffee' happen at the same time.