Show Off Your Skills! Korean Phrases for Your Killer Portfolio

Hello! This is Maeil Hangul, here to upgrade your Korean skills!

Are you a designer, a writer, a developer, or anyone who needs to show off their amazing work? Then today’s lesson is for you! We’re going to learn how to talk about creating a professional portfolio in Korean. This is super useful for job interviews, freelance projects, or even just talking about your passion projects with Korean friends.

These days in Korea, the “N-Jobler” (N잡러, a person with multiple jobs) and “Side Project” (사이드 프로젝트) culture is booming. Everyone is learning new skills and building a personal brand. A strong portfolio is your best weapon to stand out, so let’s learn the essential Korean phrases to make yours shine!

Core Expressions You Need to Know

Here are the key phrases that will make you sound like a pro when discussing your portfolio.

1. 역량 (yeong-nyang)

• Pronunciation: [yeong-nyang]
• English Meaning: Competency / Capability / Capacity
• Detailed Explanation: While ‘능력 (neung-ryeok)’ just means ‘ability’, 역량 (yeong-nyang) is a more professional term you’ll see in business settings. It refers to the total sum of your skills, knowledge, and experience that enables you to perform a task successfully. It’s the perfect word to use on your resume or when explaining what your portfolio demonstrates.

2. -을/를 바탕으로 (-eul/reul ba-tang-eu-ro)

• Pronunciation: [-eul/reul ba-tang-eu-ro]
• English Meaning: Based on… / On the foundation of…
• Detailed Explanation: This is an essential grammar pattern for explaining the background or basis of your work. It connects your past experiences, research, or data to the project you’re presenting. It makes your explanation sound logical and well-thought-out.
  • Example: 경험을 바탕으로 (based on experience), 데이터를 바탕으로 (based on data).

3. 차별화되다 (cha-byeol-hwa-doe-da)

• Pronunciation: [cha-byeol-hwa-doe-da]
• English Meaning: To be differentiated / To stand out
• Detailed Explanation: In a competitive market, you need to show what makes you unique. This verb perfectly expresses that idea. You can use it to describe the unique selling point of your skills or a specific project in your portfolio. It shows that you are a strategic thinker.

4. 시각적으로 보여주다 (si-gak-jeog-eu-ro bo-yeo-ju-da)

• Pronunciation: [si-gak-jjeo-geu-ro bo-yeo-ju-da]
• English Meaning: To show visually / To demonstrate visually
• Detailed Explanation: A portfolio isn’t just about telling, it’s about showing. This phrase emphasizes the visual aspect of your work. It’s a great way to talk about how you present your results, processes, and final products in an easy-to-understand and appealing way.

Example Conversation

Let’s see how these expressions are used in a real conversation! Here, Yuna is asking her senior colleague, Min-jun, for portfolio advice.

• 민준 (Min-jun): 유나 씨, 포트폴리오 준비는 잘 돼가요?
  (Yuna, how is the portfolio preparation going?)
• 유나 (Yuna): 네, 선배님. 제 역량을 어떻게 하면 잘 보여줄 수 있을지 고민 중이에요.
  (Yes, sunbaenim. I’m thinking about how to best showcase my competencies.)
• 민준 (Min-jun): 지난번 프로젝트 경험을 바탕으로 스토리를 만들어보세요. 그게 다른 지원자들과 차별화된 포인트가 될 수 있어요.
  (Try creating a story based on your last project experience. That could be a point that differentiates you from other applicants.)
• 유나 (Yuna): 아, 좋은 생각이네요! 결과물들을 시각적으로 잘 보여주는 것도 중요하겠죠?
  (Ah, that’s a great idea! It’s also important to show the results visually, right?)
• 민준 (Min-jun): 물론이죠. 그게 포트폴리오의 핵심이니까요.
  (Of course. That’s the core of a portfolio.)

Culture Tip & Trend Deep Dive: The “N잡러” Era

As we mentioned, the “N-Jobler” (N잡러) is a huge trend in Korea right now. The term is a Konglish blend of ‘N’ (implying an indefinite number) + ‘Job’ + the Korean suffix ‘-러’ (-er). It refers to people who have multiple jobs or income streams, not out of necessity, but for self-fulfillment and skill development.

This culture has made personal branding and portfolios more important than ever. People showcase their side projects—from webtoon drawing to programming—on social media and platforms like “Brunch” (a Korean blogging platform) or “Notion.”

So, when you use a phrase like “이 프로젝트는 제 기획 역량을 보여줍니다” (This project shows my planning competency), you’re not just speaking perfect Korean; you’re also showing that you understand this modern Korean work culture. You’re a prepared “N-Jobler” ready to make an impact!

Let’s Wrap Up & Practice!

Great job today! We learned four key professional expressions to help you talk about your portfolio: 역량 (competency), -을/를 바탕으로 (based on), 차별화되다 (to be differentiated), and 시각적으로 보여주다 (to show visually).

Now it’s your turn to practice!

1. Fill in the blanks:
Complete the sentence: “My portfolio is special because it visually demonstrates my unique design skills.”

제 포트폴리오는 저만의 디자인 ________을/를 ________ ________ ________ 점이 특별해요.

2. Make a sentence:
Using the grammar -을/를 바탕으로, write a short sentence about a skill you have.

(Example: 저는 한국 드라마를 본 경험을 바탕으로 한국어를 공부했어요. – I studied Korean based on my experience of watching K-dramas.)

Leave your answers in the comments below! We’d love to see how you use today’s expressions. Keep up the great work