🔤 Hangul in 1 Hour
Korean Hangul alphabet is scientifically designed — it can be learned in 1–2 hours.
Unlike Chinese/Japanese, it's a true phonetic alphabet with 14 consonants + 10 vowels. Even partial knowledge helps enormously with menus, signs, and subway stations.
Basic Consonants
ㄱ
g·k
ㄴ
n
ㄷ
d·t
ㄹ
r·l
ㅁ
m
ㅂ
b·p
ㅅ
s
ㅇ
ng
ㅈ
j
ㅊ
ch
ㅋ
k
ㅌ
t
ㅍ
p
ㅎ
h
Basic Vowels
ㅏ
a
ㅓ
eo
ㅗ
o
ㅜ
u
ㅡ
eu
ㅣ
i
ㅔ
e
ㅐ
ae
ㅑ
ya
ㅛ
yo
ㅠ
yu
💡 Learn Hangul Fast
YouTube: "Learn Korean in 1 hour" by Prof. Oh — covers reading basics. Once you can read Hangul phonetically, subway signs, menus, and addresses become navigable even without understanding meaning.
🙏 Essential Phrases
⚡ 6 Phrases That Will Save You
안녕하세요
An-nyeong-ha-se-yo
Hello (formal)
감사합니다
Gam-sa-ham-ni-da
Thank you
죄송합니다
Joe-song-ham-ni-da
I'm sorry / Excuse me
여기요!
Yeo-gi-yo!
Excuse me! (calling restaurant staff)
얼마예요?
Eol-ma-ye-yo?
How much is it?
도와주세요!
Do-wa-ju-se-yo!
Help me! (emergency)
Basics & Politeness
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 안녕하세요 | An-nyeong-ha-se-yo | Hello (formal) |
| 안녕히 가세요 | An-nyeong-hi ga-se-yo | Goodbye (to someone leaving) |
| 감사합니다 | Gam-sa-ham-ni-da | Thank you (formal) |
| 고마워요 | Go-ma-wo-yo | Thank you (casual) |
| 죄송합니다 | Joe-song-ham-ni-da | I'm sorry / Excuse me (formal) |
| 괜찮아요 | Gwaen-chan-a-yo | It's okay / No problem |
| 네 | Ne | Yes |
| 아니요 | A-ni-yo | No |
| 모르겠어요 | Mo-reu-gess-eo-yo | I don't know |
| 영어 할 수 있어요? | Yeong-eo hal su i-sseo-yo? | Can you speak English? |
At Restaurants
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 여기요! | Yeo-gi-yo! | Excuse me! (calling staff) |
| 이거 주세요 | I-geo ju-se-yo | This one please (pointing at menu) |
| 두 명이요 | Du myeong-i-yo | Party of two |
| 맵지 않게 해주세요 | Maep-ji an-ke hae-ju-se-yo | Not spicy please |
| 물 주세요 | Mul ju-se-yo | Water please |
| 더 주세요 | Deo ju-se-yo | More please (banchan refill) |
| 계산해주세요 | Gye-san-hae-ju-se-yo | Bill please |
| 맛있어요 | Ma-si-sseo-yo | This is delicious! |
| 포장해주세요 | Po-jang-hae-ju-se-yo | Takeout please / Can I take this to go? |
| 잘 먹겠습니다 | Jal meok-gess-eum-ni-da | I will eat well (before eating) |
At Shops & Markets
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 얼마예요? | Eol-ma-ye-yo? | How much is it? |
| 너무 비싸요 | Neo-mu bi-ssa-yo | Too expensive |
| 깎아주세요 | Kka-kka-ju-se-yo | Give me a discount please |
| 이거 있어요? | I-geo i-sseo-yo? | Do you have this? |
| 다른 색 있어요? | Da-reun saek i-sseo-yo? | Do you have other colors? |
| 큰 거 있어요? | Keun geo i-sseo-yo? | Do you have a bigger size? |
| 입어봐도 돼요? | I-beo-bwa-do dwae-yo? | May I try this on? |
| 카드 돼요? | Ka-deu dwae-yo? | Do you accept card? |
| 영수증 주세요 | Yeong-su-jeung ju-se-yo | Receipt please |
Getting Around
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 여기 가고 싶어요 | Yeo-gi ga-go si-peo-yo | I want to go here (show map) |
| 어디예요? | Eo-di-ye-yo? | Where is it? |
| 지하철역이 어디예요? | Ji-ha-cheol-yeogi eo-di-ye-yo? | Where is the subway station? |
| 여기 세워주세요 | Yeo-gi se-wo-ju-se-yo | Please stop here (taxi) |
| 얼마나 걸려요? | Eol-ma-na geol-lyeo-yo? | How long does it take? |
| 왼쪽 / 오른쪽 | Oen-jjok / O-reun-jjok | Left / Right |
| 직진 | Jik-jin | Go straight |
Emergencies
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 도와주세요! | Do-wa-ju-se-yo! | Help me! |
| 병원이 어디예요? | Byeong-won-i eo-di-ye-yo? | Where is the hospital? |
| 경찰을 불러주세요 | Gyeong-chal-eul bul-leo-ju-se-yo | Please call the police |
| 아파요 | A-pa-yo | I'm sick / It hurts |
| 약국이 어디예요? | Yak-kug-i eo-di-ye-yo? | Where is the pharmacy? |
| 분실물 센터 | Bun-sil-mul sen-teo | Lost and found |
🎎 Cultural Etiquette
Age & Hierarchy
Korea operates on a strong Confucian hierarchy based on age. This shapes almost every interaction — you'll notice it even as a short-term visitor:
- Koreans exchange ages quickly when meeting — it determines speech level and how to address each other
- Elders enter elevators, eat, and leave first
- Use both hands when giving/receiving items (especially business cards)
- Bow slightly (15–30°) when greeting strangers — don't overthink it
- As a tourist, a simple bow and smile goes a long way — Koreans won't judge you for cultural missteps if you're clearly trying
Shoes & Spaces
- Always remove shoes before entering homes, hanok stays, and many traditional restaurants (look for step-up entrance)
- Slippers provided at gyms, jimjilbangs, many guesthouses
- Some traditional floor-seating restaurants: remove shoes at entrance
- Modern cafés, restaurants, hotels: shoes stay on
Public Behavior
✅ Expected
- Be quiet on subway — Koreans rarely talk loudly on trains
- Priority seating (elderly/pregnant) is strictly observed — don't sit there
- Queue single-file — pushing ahead is noticed and frowned upon
- Pick up your tray at fast-food restaurants
- Walk on the right side of escalators (stand on the right, walk on the left — in Seoul)
❌ Avoid
- Eating/drinking on the subway (convenience store drinks are generally OK)
- Speaking loudly on phone in quiet spaces
- Public displays of affection beyond holding hands (conservative in public)
- Blowing your nose in public — step outside or use restroom
- Touching someone's head — considered offensive
✅ DO IN KOREA
- Remove shoes when entering homes & traditional spaces
- Use both hands when giving or receiving items
- Bow slightly (15°) when greeting
- Queue single-file everywhere
- Keep voice low on the subway
🚫 DON'T IN KOREA
- Tip at restaurants, cafés, or taxis
- Pour your own drink — pour for others, let them pour for you
- Eat on the subway (convenience drinks OK)
- Blow your nose in public — step outside
- Touch someone's head
Drinking Culture
- Pouring your own drink is considered impolite — pour for others, let them pour for you
- Refusing a drink from a senior can be awkward in formal settings — accept, at least hold the glass
- Say "건배!" (geon-bae) = Cheers!
- Or the more Korean toast: "위하여!" (wi-ha-yeo) = "To (us/you/etc.)"
- Drinking on streets, parks, and riverside is legal and common — pojangmacha (tent bars) are part of culture
- Soju is ~20% alcohol — pace yourself, it goes down very easy
📊 Numbers & Counting
Korea uses TWO number systems. Native Korean numbers for counting objects/people; Sino-Korean for money, dates, floors, phone numbers. For practical shopping — just hold up fingers or show calculator.
Sino-Korean (Money / Dates)
- 1 일 (il) · 2 이 (i) · 3 삼 (sam)
- 4 사 (sa) · 5 오 (o) · 6 육 (yuk)
- 7 칠 (chil) · 8 팔 (pal) · 9 구 (gu)
- 10 십 (sip) · 100 백 (baek)
- 1,000 천 (cheon) · 10,000 만 (man)
Native Korean (People / Objects)
- 1 하나 (ha-na) · 2 둘 (dul) · 3 셋 (set)
- 4 넷 (net) · 5 다섯 (da-seot)
- 6 여섯 (yeo-seot) · 7 일곱 (il-gop)
- 8 여덟 (yeo-deol) · 9 아홉 (a-hop)
- 10 열 (yeol)