Question to whoever speaks Korean

[CamelKnight]

I've been wondering this since I first started to watch K-Drama's not so long ago. Why is it that almost every name is pronounced, followed by an "Ah"?

For instance, in Orange Marmalade, the female lead is named Baek Ma Ri, but it's (almost?) always pronounced as Baek Ma Ri Ah (making it sound like Maria, which gave me a trip to memory lane with Blondie's - Maria (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt_FthFbSwU)).
Why is that "Ah" sound there? What does it mean? What does it do? Please, unconfuse me

[odaesan]

We need to pin that Korean help thread. And get sudu1won back.

 

It's -a/ya depending on the final sound of the name. If it ends in a consonant, it's -a and if it ends in a vowel, it's -ya. Vowel harmony. So what is actually being said is "Mari-ya."

 

Anyway, it shows closeness or it can also be used when someone is addressing someone much younger, usually when the addressee is a child.