Korean Slang: The Meanings and How to Use Them (Part 1: 대박, 짱, 화이팅, 파이팅, 헐, 콜, 남친, 여친, 남사친, 여사친, 썸, 케미)

- Author: Good Job Korean team 
- Editor: Good Job Korean team

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✅ 대박!
✅ 짱!
✅ 화이팅 or 파이팅
✅ 헐!
✅ 콜!
✅ 남친 and 여친
✅ 남사친 and 여사친
✅ 썸
✅ 케미

 You may have heard several words or phrases while watching K-dramas, but you do not find them anywhere in your Korean textbooks. Similar to English, there are slangs, known as 속어 (sogeo) or 은어 (euneo), that native Koreans use to express their thoughts. These slangs are usually informal and used in casual settings or text messages. Shall we go through some of the popular ones?

대박!

 Does this sound familiar? Koreans use this slang when they are impressed with something that has happened, to describe something great, or to show surprise over some news they heard. It is equivalent to the English words, “That is awesome!” “Cool!” or “Wow, amazing!”

Example sentence:

A: 항상 꼴찌였던 우리 반 친구를 기억 나? 서울대학교에 입학했어!
B: 진짜? 와 대박!
A: Do you remember our classmate who always came in last place? He got into SNU!
B: Really? Wow, amazing!

*항상: always
*꼴찌: the last, the bottom (in rank)
*우리: our, us, we
*반: class
*친구: friend
*를: object marker
*기억 나다: to recall, to remember
*서울대학교: Seoul National University (SNU)
*에: location marker
*입학하다: to enter / to be admitted / to get into (a school)

짱! 

 Besides 대박, Koreans would also say 짱! to mean “Cool!” or “Amazing!” between friends in an informal setting. This slang word expresses praise or enthusiasm towards something or someone.

Example sentence:

A: 경수의 새 앨범 들어봤어?
B: 응! 들어봤어! 팝콘이 짱이야!

A: Have you listened to Kyung Soo’s new album?
B: Yes, I’ve listened to it (well)! Popcorn is amazing! (Popcorn is the best!)
*경수: Kyung Soo (D.O.)
*의: possessive marker
*새: new
*앨범: album
*듣다: to listen
*응: yes (casual speech)
*팝콘: Popcorn (song title)
*: subject marker

화이팅! or 파이팅!

 화이팅 or 파이팅 comes from the English word Fighting! to show encouragement or support to someone. You can tell 화이팅! to someone who needs a boost of confidence or cheer up. 

 ('화이팅' is commonly used in speaking due to easier pronunciation but '파이팅' is the standard one) 

Example sentence:

A: 이번 주말에 복싱 경기가 있죠? 
B: 네 긴장돼요.
A: 할 수 있어요! 파이팅/화이팅!
A: You have a boxing match this weekend, right?
B: Yes, I’m getting nervous.
A: You can do it! Fighting!

*이번 주말: this weekend
*에: time marker
*복싱: boxing
*경기: game, event, match
*가: subject marker
*있다: to have, to exist
*네: yes
*긴장: nervous
*되다: to be
*하다: to do
*-ㄹ 수 있다: can (ability to do something)

헐! 

 Koreans use this word to show strong emotions to express shock, surprise, or disbelief towards something they saw or heard. It is equivalent to the English slang, “OMG!” You may have heard this often in K-dramas and online conversations such as texts and social media. 

Example sentence:

A: 나 하이브 오디션에 합격했어! 
B: 헐! 진짜?
A: I passed the HYBE audition!
B: OMG! Really?

*나:  I
*하이브: HYBE (k-pop entertainment)
*합격하다: to pass (test)
*진짜: really

콜!

 You may often hear 콜! when Koreans agree to do something, such as accepting a dare or saying yes to an invitation. it sounds like the English word Call! It is equivalent to “Sure!” or “I’m in!” in English.

Example sentence:

A: 퇴근하고 술 마시자!
B: 콜!

A: Let’s go for drinks after work!
B: Sure!
*퇴근하다: to get off work
*술: alcoholic drink
*마시다: to drink

남친 or 여친

 Koreans like to shorten their words by taking the first syllable from each word, creating many new terms and slang. 남친 and 여친 are great examples of this habit. 남친 means boyfriend, and it comes from 남자 친구. On the other hand, 여친 means girlfriend, and it comes from 여자 친구.

Example sentence:

A: 혹시… 전화번호 좀 알려줄 수 있을까요?
B: 죄송한데 남친 있어요.
A: May I have your phone number (by any chance)?
B: I’m sorry, but I have a boyfriend.

*혹시: by any chance
*전화번호: phone number
*좀: a conversation filler softens the request
*알려주다: to let (me) know, to tell
*수 있다: can
*죄송하다: to be sorry
*~(으)ㄴ데: but
*있다: to have

남사친 or 여사친

 남사친/여사친 comes from 남자 (male) / 여자 (female) 사람 (person) 친구 (friend), which means a male friend or a female friend. This term describes an opposite-gender friend who is not a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Example sentence:

A: 우석이랑 사귀나요?
B: 아니요. 그냥 남사친이에요!
A: Are you dating Woo Seok?
B: No, he is just a male friend.

*이랑: with
*사귀다: to date, to go out (with)
*아니: no
*그냥: just 

썸

 썸 describes a relationship between two people who have feelings for each other but are not in a relationship. There is “something” between them. Korean also calls the person they have feelings for but are not officially dating 썸남 (for men) or 썸녀 (for women). There is also an expression 썸타다 (to be on 썸, to get to know) to describe two people starting to get to know or get along with each other before formally dating.

Example sentence:

A: 카페에서 같이 있던 남자는 누구예요?
B: 그냥 썸타는 사람이에요.
A: Who is the guy you were with at the cafe?
B: It’s just someone I’m flirting with / It’s just someone I’m getting to know.

*카페: cafe
*에서: at (location marker)
*같이: together
*있다: to exist
*남자: man, guy
*는: topic marker
*누구: who
*그냥: just
*사람: person

케미

 케미 comes from the English word “chemistry” to describe the chemistry between two people. You may hear this often when people discuss the chemistry between the main male and female leads in K-dramas!

Example:

A: 왜 이 드라마 좋아해요?
B: 이 드라마는 재미있고 배우들의 케미가 너무 좋아요!
A: Why do you like this drama?
B: This drama is fun, and the actors have good chemistry.

*왜: why
*이: this
*드라마: drama
*는: topic marker
*좋아하다: to like
*재미있다: to be interesting
*배우: actor
*들: plural marker
*의: possessive marker
*너무: very
*좋다: to be good

 Isn’t it fun to learn Korean slang words? There are many more, and we will be covering them bit by bit. Try using them with your Korean friends! You will sound like one, too!

- Author: Good Job Korean team 
- Editor: Good Job Korean team