Navigate digital life in Korea β from KakaoTalk (the messaging app everyone uses) to texting slang, internet culture, and essential tech vocabulary. Korea is one of the most digitally connected countries in the world.
Estimated Time: 40β50 minutes
| Korean | Meaning | Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| νΈλν° / ν΄λν° | cell phone | μ»΄ν¨ν° | computer |
| μΈν°λ· | internet | μμ΄νμ΄ | Wi-Fi |
| λΉλ°λ²νΈ | password | μΆ©μ κΈ° | charger |
| λ¬Έμ | text message | μ ν | phone call |
| μ΄λ©μΌ | μ¬μ§ | photo | |
| λμμ | video | μ± | app |
| κ²μνλ€ | to search | λ€μ΄λ‘λ | download |
| λ°°ν°λ¦¬ | battery | νλ©΄ | screen |
KakaoTalk (μΉ΄ν‘ for short) is THE messaging app in Korea β used by over 90% of the population. It's used for personal chat, group chats, business communication, payments (μΉ΄μΉ΄μ€νμ΄), taxi hailing (μΉ΄μΉ΄μ€νμ), and more.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| μΉ΄ν‘ ν΄μ? | Do you have KakaoTalk? / Want to chat on KakaoTalk? |
| μΉ΄ν‘ μμ΄λκ° λμμ? | What's your KakaoTalk ID? |
| λ©μμ§ λ³΄λμ΄μ. | I sent a message. |
| μ¬μ§ λ³΄λ΄ μ£ΌμΈμ. | Please send me the photo. |
| λ¨ν‘λ°© | Group chat room (λ¨μ²΄ μΉ΄ν‘λ°©) |
| μ΄λͺ¨ν°μ½ | Emoticons/stickers |
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| μ νλ²νΈκ° λμμ? | What's your phone number? |
| μ νν΄λ λΌμ? | Can I call you? |
| μ¬λ³΄μΈμ? | Hello? (on the phone only) |
| μ μ λ€λ €μ. | I can't hear you well. |
| λ€μ νλ² λ§μν΄ μ£ΌμΈμ. | Please say that again. |
| λμ€μ λ€μ μ νν κ²μ. | I'll call you back later. |
| λ¬Έμ 보λΌκ²μ. | I'll text you. |
μ¬λ³΄μΈμ is ONLY used when answering the phone. Do NOT use it as a face-to-face greeting β that would sound very strange. For in-person greetings, always use μλ νμΈμ.
Korean internet culture has its own rich set of abbreviations and slang:
| Slang | Full Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| γ γ γ | ν¬ν¬ν¬ | Hahaha (the Korean "lol") |
| γ γ | νν | Haha (gentler laugh) |
| γ γ / γ γ | β | Crying face (like T_T) |
| γ±γ± | κ³ κ³ (go go) | Let's go! |
| γ γ | μμ | Yeah yeah / OK |
| γ΄γ΄ | λ Έλ Έ | No no |
| γ γ | μ€μΌμ΄ | OK |
| γΉγ | λ¦¬μΌ (real) | For real / seriously |
| γ γ | λ―ΈμΉ | Crazy (can be positive or negative) |
| γ·γ· | λλ | Shivering / shocked / wow |
More γ 's = more laughter. γ (just acknowledged), γ γ (mild chuckle), γ γ γ (laughing), γ γ γ γ γ γ (really funny). It's the most common text response in Korean chat.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| μμ΄νμ΄ λΉλ°λ²νΈκ° λμμ? | What's the Wi-Fi password? |
| μΈν°λ·μ΄ μ λΌμ. | The internet isn't working. |
| μΆ©μ ν μ μμ΄μ? | Can I charge (my phone)? |
| νΈλν° λ°°ν°λ¦¬κ° μμ΄μ. | My phone battery is dead. |
| λ€μ΄λ²μμ κ²μν΄ λ³΄μΈμ. | Try searching on Naver. |
π‘ Culture Note β Naver (λ€μ΄λ²): Koreans use Naver (not Google) as their primary search engine. Naver is Korea's biggest portal β search, maps, news, blogs, shopping, webtoons, and even a dictionary. If you need to search something in Korea, try Naver first!