Level Up Your Work Korean: Project Retrospectives!

Hello! This is [Daily Hangeul], here to upgrade your Korean skills to the next level!

Today, we are going to dive into a very important topic for anyone working in a Korean environment: Project Retrospectives (프로젝트 회고).

Have you finished a big task at work? In the past, people might have just said “Good job” and went home. But nowadays in Korea, especially among startups and companies with a young culture (the MZ generation), “Retrospectives” (called 회고 [hoego]) are a huge trend! It’s all about looking back to grow together, not to blame each other.

Let’s learn how to discuss feedback, improvements, and future plans professionally and politely!

Key Expressions for a Project Retrospective

Here are 4 essential phrases to help you participate in a meeting like a pro.

1. 이번 프로젝트를 돌아봅시다.

• Pronunciation: [Ibeon peurojekteureul dorabopsida]
• English Meaning: Let’s look back on this project.
• Detailed Explanation:
  • ‘돌아보다’ (doraboda) literally means “to look back,” but in a work context, it means “to review” or “to reflect.”
  • Using ‘~ㅂ시다’ (-psida) is a formal way to suggest doing something together. It shows leadership and collaboration.
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • Linking (Liaison): When you say 돌아 (dora), the ‘ㄹ(r)’ sound moves over to the empty ‘ㅇ’ spot. So instead of ‘dol-a’, it flows smoothly as [do-ra].
  • Tense Sound: In 봅시다 (bopsida), the ‘ㅂ’ followed by ‘ㅅ’ makes the ‘ㅅ’ sound harder, like a double ‘ss’. So it sounds like [bop-ssi-da].

2. 아쉬웠던 점이 있나요?

• Pronunciation: [Aswiwotdeon jeomi innayo?]
• English Meaning: Are there any points that were lacking (or regrettable)?
• Detailed Explanation:
  • Koreans rarely ask “What was bad?” directly. Instead, they use the word ‘아쉽다’ (aswipda). It implies, “It wasn’t bad, but it could have been better.”
  • This is a very polite and soft way to ask for constructive criticism or “Problems” in the KPT (Keep, Problem, Try) method.
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • Nasalization: Look at ‘있나요’. The base is ‘있다’. The bottom ‘ㅆ(ss/t)’ meets the ‘ㄴ(n)’ sound. The ‘t’ sound changes to an ‘n’ sound for easier pronunciation. So, it is not [it-na-yo], but [in-na-yo].

3. 효율적으로 개선하면 좋겠어요.

• Pronunciation: [Hyoyuljeogeuro gaeseonhamyeon jokesseoyo]
• English Meaning: It would be good if we improve it efficiently.
• Detailed Explanation:
  • ‘개선하다’ (gaeseonhada) means “to improve” or “to make better.” This is a key B2 level vocabulary word for business.
  • ‘효율적으로’ (hyoyuljeogeuro) means “efficiently.” Use this when suggesting a solution to a problem!
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • H-Merging: In ‘좋겠어요’, the bottom ‘ㅎ(h)’ meets the ‘ㄱ(k/g)’ in the next syllable. They combine to make a strong ‘k’ sound (aspirated). So, it sounds like [jo-ke-sseo-yo].

4. 모두 고생 많으셨습니다.

• Pronunciation: [Modu gosaeng maneusyeot-sseumnida]
• English Meaning: Everyone, you worked very hard. / Thank you for your hard work.
• Detailed Explanation:
  • This is the standard closing phrase for any project or meeting. ‘고생’ (gosaeng) means “hardship” or “trouble.” You are acknowledging their effort.
  • Adding ‘많으셨습니다’ (honorific past tense) shows high respect to your team.
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • Nasalization: In ‘습니다’, the ‘ㅂ(p/b)’ implies a stop, but because it is followed by ‘ㄴ(n)’, it changes to an ‘m’ sound. It is pronounced [seum-ni-da], not [seub-ni-da]. This makes the speech flow much smoother!

Real-Life Dialogue: The “KPT” Meeting

Let’s see how Team Leader Kim and Manager Lee talk after finishing a marketing campaign.

Team Leader Kim: 이번 마케팅 프로젝트, 모두 고생 많으셨습니다. 잠깐 회고 시간을 가질까요?
(Everyone, you worked hard on this marketing project. Shall we have a brief retrospective time?)

Manager Lee: 네, 좋습니다! 우선 이번 프로젝트를 돌아보니, SNS 반응이 좋았던 게 가장 큰 성과 같아요.
(Yes, sounds good! First, looking back on this project, the good reaction on SNS seems to be the biggest achievement.)

Team Leader Kim: 맞아요. 그럼 반대로 아쉬웠던 점이 있나요?
(Right. Then, on the other hand, were there any points that were lacking?)

Manager Lee: 음, 일정 관리가 조금 힘들었어요. 다음에는 협업 툴을 사용해서 효율적으로 개선하면 좋겠어요.
(Hmm, schedule management was a bit tough. Next time, it would be good to improve it efficiently by using a collaboration tool.)

Team Leader Kim: 좋은 의견이에요! 다음 프로젝트에 바로 적용해 봅시다.
(Great opinion! Let’s apply that immediately to the next project.)

Culture Tip & Trend Analysis: The “KPT” Culture

Did you notice the flow of the conversation above?

“Nowadays in Korea…”
Many companies are moving away from strict, vertical feedback sessions where the boss just talks. Instead, they are adopting the “KPT” Framework:
* K (Keep): What went well? (SNS reaction)
* P (Problem): What was lacking? (Schedule management – using ‘아쉽다’)
* T (Try): What should we improve? (Using collaboration tools – using ‘개선하다’)

Korean office workers (especially the younger generation) prefer logic and clear solutions over vague compliments or scolding. If you use words like “개선하다” (improve) and “효율적” (efficient) instead of just saying “Let’s work harder,” you will be seen as a very professional and capable team member!

Wrap-up & Practice Quiz

Today we learned how to conduct a project retrospective professionally in Korean. Remember, the goal is “Growth,” not “Blame”!

📝 Mini Quiz:
Fill in the blanks with the correct words we learned today!

1. Let’s fix the problems and make them better.
   = 문제를 ______ 합시다. (Hint: improve)
2. Did you have any regrets/lacking points?
   = _______ 점이 있었나요? (Hint: lacking/regrettable)

Answer Key:
1. 개선 (Gaeseon)
2. 아쉬웠던 (Aswiwotdeon)

How would you describe your last project using these words? Leave a comment below with your own sentence!

See you next time with more useful Korean business tips! 👋