10 Korean Slang Phrases You Need to Know

3. 셀카 (sel-ka) | Selfie

In Korea, you don’t take selfies, you take self-cameras or in short form, selcas.

Example:

A: 셀카 찍자. (sel-ka jjig-ja.)
Let’s take a selca.

B: 콜! (kol!)
Okay!

4. 콜 (kol) | Deal

콜 came from the word ‘call’, but it is used to mean ‘sure’, ‘deal’, or ‘okay’.

Example:

A: 라면 먹을래? (ra-myeon meog-eul-lae?)
Shall we have ramyeon?

B: 콜! (kol!)
Sure!

5. 라면 먹고 갈래? (ra-myeon meog-go kal-lae?) | Netflix and chill

Netflix and chill. Used by girls as a cute way to invite a guy over for something more than ramyeon.

Example:

A: 집에 아무도 없네… 라면 먹고 갈래? (jib-eh ah-mu-do eob-neh… ra-myeon meog-go kal-lae?)
There’s no one at home… Do you want to have ramyeon before you go?

B: 콜! (kol!)
Sure!

6. 쩔어 (jjeol-eo) | Dope

Dope. Freaking awesome.

Example:

A: 오늘 헤어스타일 쩔어! (o-neul he-eo-seu-ta-il jjeol-eo.)
Your hairstyle today is dope!

B: 고마워! (ko-ma-wo!)
Thanks!

7. 강추 (gang-chu) | Strongly recommend

Example:

A: 이 식당 어때? (i sik-dang eo-ddae?)
How’s this restaurant?

B: 강추! (kang-chu)
I strongly recommend it!

8. 어장관리 (eo-jang-kwan-ri) | Playing the field

In Korea, you don’t say that someone is playing the field. You say that someone is managing the fishery.

Example:

A: 어장 관리 하는거야? (eo-jang gwan-li ha-neun-geo-ya?)
Is he playing the field?

B: 아니야. 그냥 정겨운 사람이야. (a-ni-ya. geu-nyang jeong-gyeo-un sa-ram-i-ya.)
No. He’s just an affectionate person.

9. 멘붕 (men-bung) | Mental breakdown

Example:

A: 회의는 어땠어? (hoe-ui-neun eo-ddae-sseo?)
How was the meeting?

B: 멘붕이었다. (men-bung-i-eott-da.)
I had a mental breakdown.

10. 헐 (heol) | What?

Similar to ‘omg’, ‘what the –’, and ‘huh?’.

Example:

A: 밥 안 먹어? (pab ahn meog-eo?)
You’re not gonna have dinner?

B: 헐. 벌써 11시야? (heol. beol-sseo yeol-han-si-ya?)
What the — it’s already 11 PM?