From ‘Yummy’ to 맛있겠다: Korean for Your Food Photos!

Hello! Welcome to [Everyday Korean], where we upgrade your Korean skills one post at a time!

Have you ever scrolled through Instagram and seen amazing pictures of Korean food, wishing you could leave a comment in perfect Korean? Or maybe you want to post your own delicious food pictures and impress your Korean friends? Today is your lucky day!

Lately in Korea, sharing pictures of what you eat, from fancy restaurant dishes to simple street food, is a huge part of social media culture. It’s called ‘먹스타그램’ (Meokstagram)! We’re going to learn the essential phrases you need to join the fun and sound like a native when you post or comment about food. Let’s get started!

Core Expressions for Foodies

Here are three key phrases that will make your food posts shine!

1. 맛있겠다! (Masitgetda!)

• Pronunciation [Romanization]: Ma-sit-get-da!
• English Meaning: That looks delicious! / It must be tasty!
• Detailed Description: This is the ultimate reaction to any food picture! It’s a combination of 맛있다 (masitda – to be delicious) and the grammar pattern -겠다 (-getda), which is used to express an assumption or guess. You’re not tasting it, but you’re guessing it must be delicious. It’s a very natural and common expression you can use with anyone.

• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  The final sound of 맛있 is ‘t’, and it’s followed by 겠, which starts with a ‘g’ sound. In Korean, when these sounds meet, the ‘g’ often tenses up and becomes a ‘ㄲ’ (kk) sound. So, instead of saying ma-sit-get-da, it sounds more natural like [ma-sik-kket-da]. Try making that ‘kk’ sound stronger! It’s a small change that makes a big difference.

2. 여기 어디예요? (Yeogi eodiyeyo?)

• Pronunciation [Romanization]: Yeo-gi eo-di-ye-yo?
• English Meaning: Where is this place?

• Detailed Description: When a food picture looks so good you want to go there yourself, this is the perfect question to ask! 여기 (yeogi) means “here” or “this place,” and 어디예요? (eodiyeyo?) means “where is it?”. It’s a polite and standard way to ask for the location.

• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  This phrase is quite straightforward! Just remember that Korean is a very rhythmic language. Try to say [Yeo-gi] and [eo-di-ye-yo] with an even beat, without stressing one syllable too much. It should flow smoothly.

3. 먹스타그램 (Meokstagram)

• Pronunciation [Romanization]: Meok-seu-ta-geu-raem
• English Meaning: Food-stagram (A hashtag for food posts)

• Detailed Description: This is a “Korenglish” portmanteau word combining the Korean verb 먹다 (meokda – to eat) and 인스타그램 (Inseutageuraem – Instagram). It’s the most popular hashtag for food posts in Korea. If you want your food pictures to be seen, you must include #먹스타그램!

• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  The key here is the first part, 먹 (meok). The ‘eo’ vowel (ㅓ) is pronounced like the ‘o’ in ‘song’ or the ‘u’ in ‘uh-oh’. It’s an open sound made in the back of your throat. Practice saying [meok], not ‘mock’ or ‘muck’.

Example Conversation on Instagram

Imagine your friend A posts a picture of some delicious-looking Tteokbokki (떡볶이).

(A posts a photo with the caption):
오늘의 점심! 😋 #떡볶이 #먹스타그램
(Oneurui jeomsim! #Tteokbokki #Meokstagram)
(Today’s lunch! 😋 #Tteokbokki #Foodstagram)

(You, B, comment):
B: 와, 진짜 맛있겠다! 여기 어디예요?
(Wa, jinjja masitgetda! Yeogi eodiyeyo?)
(Wow, that looks so delicious! Where is this place?)

A: 홍대에 있는 유명한 곳이야! 다음에 같이 가자!
(Hongdae-e itneun yumyeonghan gosiya! Daeume gachi gaja!)
(It’s a famous place in Hongdae! Let’s go together next time!)

Culture Tip & Trend Deep Dive

In Korea, food isn’t just for eating; it’s for sharing! The culture of finding and visiting 맛집 (matjib – famous/tasty restaurants) is huge. People will travel far just to eat at a restaurant they saw on TV or on social media.

Want to sound even more like a young Korean? When something is unbelievably delicious, the Z-generation on social media uses the slang JMT. It’s an acronym for 존맛탱 (Jon-mat-taeng).

• 존맛 (Jonmat): A very informal, slang way of saying “freaking delicious.”
• 탱 (Taeng): A suffix added to make it sound cuter and more emphatic.

Warning: This is very informal slang! Only use it with close friends or on your own social media. You wouldn’t say this to your professor or boss. But leaving a comment like “와 JMT…” on a friend’s post will definitely make you sound like a local!

Let’s Review and Practice!

Great job today! You’ve learned how to react to food pictures (맛있겠다!), ask where to find that delicious food (여기 어디예요?), and use the essential hashtag (#먹스타그램).

Now, let’s test your knowledge!

1. Fill in the blank: Your friend posts a picture of a giant, cheesy pizza. You want to say, “Wow, that looks delicious!”
   • 와, ___________!
2. Your turn! Imagine you see a picture of a beautiful cake on Instagram. How would you ask where the café is in Korean?

Leave your answers in the comments below using the phrases you learned today! I can’t wait to see your Korean skills in action. Happy posting