Leave a “Golden” Voicemail in Korean!
Hello! Welcome to Maeil Hangeul, here to level up your Korean skills!
Have you ever needed to call a Korean friend, but they missed your call? What do you do? Today, we’re going to learn a super useful skill: how to leave your phone number in a voicemail message in Korean.
Speaking of things that are getting lots of calls, you won’t believe the buzz in Korea right now about the “K-Pop Demon Hunters” OST! The song “Golden” by HUNTRX is a massive hit, even climbing to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Imagine you want to call a friend to talk about this amazing song, but they don’t pick up. After today, you’ll know exactly what to say!
Let’s get started!
Core Expressions You Need to Know
Here are three essential phrases for leaving a perfect voicemail.
1. 제 이름은 … 입니다/이에요. (My name is…)
- Pronunciation: [Je ireum-eun … imnida / ieyo.]
- English Meaning: My name is…
- Detailed Explanation: This is how you introduce yourself.
- Use 입니다 (imnida) in formal situations or when you want to be extra polite.
- Use 이에요 (ieyo) or 예요 (yeyo) in most daily, polite conversations. (Use
이에요if the name ends in a consonant,예요if it ends in a vowel). - Example:
제 이름은 마이클입니다.(Je ireum-eun Maikeul-imnida.)
2. 제 전화번호는 … 입니다. (My phone number is…)
- Pronunciation: [Je jeonhwabeonho-neun … imnida.]
- English Meaning: My phone number is…
- Detailed Explanation: This is the key phrase!
제(je) = my전화번호(jeonhwabeonho) = phone number- How to say the numbers: In Korean, you read phone numbers digit by digit using Sino-Korean numbers (il, i, sam, sa…). The dash (-) is read as 에 (e).
- Example: 010-1234-5678 is read as “공일공에 일이삼사에 오육칠팔” (gong-il-gong-e il-i-sam-sa-e o-yuk-chil-pal).
3. 연락 주세요. (Please contact me.)
- Pronunciation: [Yeollak juseyo.]
- English Meaning: Please contact me. / Please call me back.
- Detailed Explanation: This is a polite and natural way to ask someone to get back to you.
연락(yeollak) means “contact,” and주세요(juseyo) is a polite way of saying “please give” or “please do for me.”
Example Voicemail
Let’s see how these phrases work in a real-life situation. Imagine Alex is calling his friend Mina to talk about the “K-Pop Demon Hunters” OST, but she doesn’t answer.
(Beep!)
Alex’s Voicemail:
“미나 씨, 저 알렉스예요. ‘케이팝 데몬 헌터스’ OST 들었어요? HUNTRX의 ‘Golden’ 진짜 좋아요! 제 전화번호는 010-1234-5678입니다. 시간 괜찮을 때 연락 주세요!”
(Mina-ssi, jeo Alex-yeyo. ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ OST deureosseoyo? HUNTRX-ui ‘Golden’ jinjja joayo! Je jeonhwabeonho-neun gong-il-gong-e il-i-sam-sa-e o-yuk-chil-pal-imnida. Sigan gwaenchaneul ttae yeollak juseyo!)
Translation:
“Hi Mina, it’s Alex. Did you listen to the ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ OST? ‘Golden’ by HUNTRX is so good! My phone number is 010-1234-5678. Please contact me when you have time!”
Culture Tip & Trend Deep Dive
K-Trend Alert: Why is “Golden” so Golden?
The song “Golden” from “K-Pop Demon Hunters” isn’t just a hit; it’s a cultural phenomenon! It uniquely blends traditional Korean music (Gugak) with modern EDM and hip-hop, which is why it sounds so fresh and has captivated a global audience.
When you leave a message about something trendy like this or the other hit song, “Soda Pop” by Saja Boys, you’re doing more than just practicing Korean. You’re connecting with modern Korean culture! Mentioning these songs to a Korean friend is a fantastic conversation starter. It shows you’re in the loop with what’s hot in Korea right now!
Let’s Practice!
Great job today! You’ve learned how to introduce yourself, leave your phone number, and ask for a callback in Korean. You’re ready to leave a perfect, “golden” voicemail!
Quick Quiz:
- You want to leave your number (010-9876-5432) for a friend named Jisu. How would you say it? Fill in the blank:
- “지수 씨, 저 [Your Name]이에요. 제 전화번호는 ______________입니다. 연락 주세요!”
- (Jisu-ssi, jeo [Your Name]-ieyo. Je jeonhwabeonho-neun ______________imnida. Yeollak juseyo!)
Leave your own practice voicemail message in the comments below! We’d love to see what you come up with
