이었다

이었다

"이었다" is the past tense form of "이다," meaning "was" or "were."

In this sentence, '이었다' is used to form the past tense of a descriptive noun phrase, indicating a previous state or identity.

그는 훌륭한 선생님이었다.

He was an excellent teacher.

Here, '이었다' serves to express that the subject had a certain characteristic in the past, implying a change from that state.

이 장소는 한때 번화가였다.

This place was once a bustling street.

In this context, '이었다' relates to a former recognition of the subject, emphasizing its significance in past times.

그 그림은 유명한 작품이었다.

That painting was a famous piece of art.