K-Office Pro: How to Schedule Your Next Meeting in Korean!

Hello! This is [Daily Hangul], here to upgrade your Korean skills! 😊

Have you ever needed to schedule a study session, a coffee chat, or even a work meeting in Korean? It can be a bit nerve-wracking! But don’t worry, today we’re going to learn some simple but super useful phrases to schedule your next meeting like a pro.

Lately in Korea, with the rise of hybrid work and global teams, being able to clearly schedule meetings is more important than ever. You might have even seen your favorite characters in office K-dramas skillfully arranging their schedules. With these phrases, you’ll sound just as cool and capable as they do!

Let’s get started!

Core Expressions You Need to Know

Here are three essential phrases for scheduling a meeting.

1. 다음 회의는 언제로 할까요? (Daeum hoe-uineun eonjero halkkayo?)

• Pronunciation [Romanized]: Daeum hoe-ui-neun eon-je-ro hal-kka-yo?
• English Meaning: When shall we have the next meeting?
• Detailed Explanation: This is the perfect, polite way to kick off the scheduling conversation. It’s a question that invites everyone to share their availability.
  • 다음 (daeum) means “next.”
  • 회의 (hoe-ui) means “meeting.”
  • 언제 (eonje) means “when.”
  • -로 할까요? (-ro halkkayo?) is a polite pattern meaning “Shall we set it for…?” or “Shall we do…?”
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip: The word 회의 can be tricky! The vowel 의 (ui) is a combination of ‘ㅡ’ (eu) and ‘ㅣ’ (i). However, in everyday speech, especially when it follows a consonant, it often sounds more like [훼이/hwe-i]. So, instead of a distinct “ho-e-ui,” try saying it smoothly like “hwe-i.” It will sound much more natural!

2. 저는 괜찮아요. (Jeoneun gwaenchanayo.)

• Pronunciation [Romanized]: Jeo-neun gwaen-cha-na-yo.
• English Meaning: That’s fine with me. / I’m okay with that.
• Detailed Explanation: This is your go-to phrase for agreeing to a suggested time or date. It’s polite, positive, and very common. 저 (jeo) is the humble form of “I,” and 괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo) means “it’s okay/fine.” You can use this for almost any suggestion you agree with!
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip: Look at the spelling 괜찮아요. You see the consonants ㄴ (n) and ㅎ (h) next to each other in the 찮 block. When this happens, the ㅎ (h) sound often becomes silent! So, you don’t pronounce it like “gwaen-chan-ha-yo.” Instead, it sounds like [괜차나요/gwaenchanayo]. This is a very common pronunciation rule in Korean!

3. 그때는 좀 어려울 것 같아요. (Geuttaeneun jom eoryeoul geot gatayo.)

• Pronunciation [Romanized]: Geu-ttae-neun jom eo-ryeo-ul geot ga-ta-yo.
• English Meaning: I think it will be a bit difficult at that time.
• Detailed Explanation: What if you’re not available? This is a wonderfully polite and indirect way to say “I can’t make it.” Instead of a direct “No” (안 돼요), which can sound too strong, this phrase softens the rejection.
  • 그때 (geuttae) means “that time.”
  • 좀 (jom) means “a bit.”
  • 어려울 것 같아요 (eoryeoul geot gatayo) literally means “it seems it will be difficult.”
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip: Let’s look at 같아요 (gatayo). The last letter of 같 is ㅌ (t), and it’s followed by the vowel 아 (a). In Korean, when a final consonant (받침) is followed by a vowel, the consonant sound often moves over to the next syllable. This is called linking (연음). So, instead of a choppy “gat-ayo,” the ㅌ sound moves, and it’s pronounced smoothly as [가타요/gatayo].

Example Dialogue

Let’s see how these expressions work in a real conversation between two colleagues, Minjun (a senior) and Hana (a junior).

민준 (Minjun): 오늘 회의는 여기까지 하죠. 다음 회의는 언제로 할까요?
(Let’s wrap up today’s meeting. When shall we have the next one?)

하나 (Hana): 다음 주 수요일 오후 3시는 어떠세요?
(How about next Wednesday at 3 PM?)

민준 (Minjun): 수요일 3시요? 네, 저는 괜찮아요.
(Wednesday at 3? Yes, that’s fine with me.)

하나 (Hana): 혹시 박 팀장님은요?
(What about Team Leader Park?)

민준 (Minjun): 아, 박 팀장님은 그때는 좀 어려울 것 같아요. 중요한 클라이언트 미팅이 있거든요. 목요일은 어때요?
(Ah, I think it will be difficult for Team Leader Park then. He has an important client meeting. How about Thursday?)

하나 (Hana): 네, 좋습니다!
(Yes, that sounds good!)

Culture Tip & Trend Deep Dive 📈

In Korea, maintaining good relationships (좋은 관계) at work is very important. That’s why using indirect and polite language is key!

When you can’t make a meeting, using a soft phrase like 어려울 것 같아요 shows respect for the other person’s time and effort. It’s much preferred over a simple “No.”

Also, you’ll notice in many modern Korean companies and K-dramas that teams use apps like KakaoTalk or Slack for quick scheduling. Even in a casual chat message, using these polite phrases will make you look considerate and professional. It shows you understand the nuances of Korean work culture. So next time you’re scheduling something, remember: politeness is your superpower!

Let’s Practice!

Time to check your understanding. You can do it! 💪

1. Fill in the blank: Your friend suggests a time for a study session, and it works for you!
   • 친구 (Friend): 우리 금요일 저녁에 공부할까? (Shall we study on Friday evening?)
   • 나 (You): 응, __________________! (Yes, __________________!)
2. Make a sentence: You need to schedule the next meeting for your K-pop fan club. How do you ask the group, “When shall we have the next meeting?”

Great job today! You’ve learned some incredibly practical phrases for everyday Korean life.

Now it’s your turn! Try answering the practice questions in the comments below. I’ll check them for you!