“뭐 먹을까?” How to Choose Food Like a K-Drama Star!
Hello! It’s your favorite Korean teacher from [Daily Korean], here to upgrade your Korean skills!
Have you ever been with friends, your stomach is rumbling, but you don’t know how to say what you want to eat in Korean? Today, we’re going to solve that problem! We’ll learn how to express your food cravings and choose a restaurant, which is a super important skill for social life in Korea.
Lately in Korea, you can’t scroll through social media without seeing someone eating maratang (마라탕), a spicy and numbing hot soup. But what if you’re not in the mood for it? Let’s learn how to express exactly what you’re craving!
Core Expressions You Need to Know
Here are three essential expressions to help you decide what to eat with your friends.
1. 뭐 먹을까? (Mwo meogeulkka?)
* Pronunciation [Romanized]: Mwo meo-geul-kka?
* English Meaning: What should we eat?
* Detailed Explanation: This is the most natural and common way to start a food discussion with friends. It’s a casual and friendly suggestion. The grammar -(으)ㄹ까? is used when you are suggesting something or asking for someone’s opinion.
2. (음식 이름) 땡긴다 (Eum-sik ireum) Ttaeng-gin-da
* Pronunciation [Romanized]: (Food Name) Ttaeng-gin-da
* English Meaning: I’m craving (food name).
* Detailed Explanation: This is a very common slang expression that will make you sound like a native! The verb 땡기다 (ttaenggida) literally means “to pull” or “to attract.” So when you say “치킨 땡긴다,” it feels like the chicken is pulling you in! It’s a much cooler way to say “I want to eat…” than the basic 먹고 싶어 (meokgo sipeo), especially among friends.
3. 콜! (Kol!)
* Pronunciation [Romanized]: Kol!
* English Meaning: Deal! / I’m in! / Sounds good!
* Detailed Explanation: This fun word comes from the English word “Call,” like in the game of poker. It’s a very casual and enthusiastic way to agree with a suggestion. When your friend suggests a great idea, you can simply shout “콜!” to show you’re totally on board. Only use this with close friends!
Example Conversation
Let’s see how these expressions work in a real conversation. Two friends, A and B, are deciding on dinner.
A: 아, 배고프다. 뭐 먹을까?
* [A, baegopeuda. Mwo meogeulkka?]
* Ah, I’m hungry. What should we eat?
B: 음… 요즘 마라탕이 인기인데, 먹으러 갈까?
* [Eum… yojeum maratang-i ingi-inde, meogeureo galkka?]
* Hmm… Maratang is popular these days, should we go eat that?
A: 마라탕도 좋지만… 나는 오늘 매콤한 떡볶이가 땡긴다!
* [Maratang-do jotjiman… naneun oneul maekomhan tteokbokki-ga ttaeng-ginda!]
* Maratang is good too, but… today I’m craving spicy tteokbokki!
B: 아, 떡볶이! 좋은 생각이야. 그럼 떡볶이 먹자. 콜!
* [A, tteokbokki! Joeun saenggak-iya. Geureom tteokbokki meokja. Kol!]
* Ah, tteokbokki! That’s a great idea. Let’s go for tteokbokki then. Deal!
Culture Tip & Trend Deep-Dive
Why are expressions like “땡긴다” so popular? In Korea, food is a huge part of social life and expressing your specific craving is part of the fun!
- On Korean Social Media: You’ll often see Instagram or TikTok stories with polls asking, “오늘 저녁 뭐 땡겨요?” (What are you craving for dinner tonight?). It’s a way to connect with friends and followers over a shared love of food.
- In K-Dramas: Notice how characters often don’t just say “Let’s eat.” They’ll say, “I’m suddenly craving fried chicken and beer” (치맥 땡긴다!). This makes the dialogue feel much more natural and relatable. Using “땡긴다” shows you’re not just hungry, you have a specific, strong desire for a certain food, which is a feeling everyone understands! If you use this, your Korean friends will be very impressed.
Let’s Review and Practice!
Great job today! We learned how to ask what to eat (뭐 먹을까?), how to say you’re craving something (땡긴다), and how to agree to a plan (콜!).
Now, let’s test your skills!
- Fill in the blank: Your friend asks, “피자 어때?” (How about pizza?). You really want pizza! You can say: “좋아! ____!”
- Make a sentence: How would you say “I’m craving ramen” in a cool, natural way?
You’re now ready to decide what to eat with your Korean friends!
What food are you craving right now? Tell me in the comments below using the expressions we learned today! 오늘 뭐 땡겨요?
