This is the 14546th most frequent Korean word.
물었더니
"Asked and then" or "having asked."
The word '물었더니' connects the action of asking with the resulting information provided as a cause-effect relationship.
그에게 어떻게 알고 있는지 물었더니, 친구가 알려줬다고 했어요.
I asked him how he knew it, and he said his friend informed him.
Here, '물었더니' signifies a direct query leading to an action by the respondent relating to the question asked.
나는 그녀에게 그곳이 어디인지 물었더니, 그녀는 지도에서 정확한 위치를 가리켰다.
I asked her where that place was, and she pointed out the exact location on the map.
The usage of '물었더니' in this sentence shows asking a personal preference resulting in a suggestion made by the respondent.