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Write Korean Emails Like a Pro! 📧

Intro

Hello! It’s [Daily Hangeul] here to upgrade your Korean skills! 👋

Today, we are going to learn how to write a simple email in Korean, specifically focusing on “Asking how someone is doing” to start your message smoothly.

Why is this important now?
Nowadays in Korea, with the global popularity of K-Dramas and K-Pop, the trend of having “Lan-cables Friends” (랜선 친구 – online friends) is booming! Many of you might be using language exchange apps or writing emails to new Korean friends. Knowing how to start that first message naturally is the key to making a great first impression.

Let’s learn the most natural ways to say “Hello” and open an email! 🚀

Key Expressions

Here are 3 essential expressions to start your email warmly.

1. 잘 지내셨어요?

• Pronunciation: [Jal ji-nae-sseo-yo?]
• English Meaning: How have you been? / Have you been well?
• Detail: This is the most standard and polite way to ask how someone is doing after not seeing/talking to them for a while. It is in the past tense because you are asking about the time until now. You can use this with teachers, older friends, or business contacts.

💡 Pronunciation Tip (Liaison):
You might wonder why it sounds like “sseo-yo” instead of “shut-eo-yo.”
This is due to Liaison (Linking sounds). When a final consonant (batchim) like ‘ㅆ(ss)’ is followed by a vowel like ‘어(eo)’, the sound moves over to the empty vowel spot.
* Written: 지내셨어요 (ji-nae-syeot-eo-yo)
* Spoken: [지내써요] (ji-nae-sseo-yo)
So, flow it smoothly!

2. 저 [Name]예요/이에요.

• Pronunciation: [Jeo [Name]-yeyo / i-e-yo]
• English Meaning: It’s [Name]. / I am [Name].
• Detail: In emails, it is polite to identify yourself right after the greeting.
  • If your name ends in a vowel (e.g., Minji), use 예요 (yeyo). -> Minji-yeyo.
  • If your name ends in a consonant (e.g., Michael), use 이에요 (ieyo). -> Michael-ieyo.

💡 Pronunciation Tip:
Don’t pause too long between your name and the ending! Connect them.
For names ending in a consonant like ‘Daniel’, the ‘L’ sound moves to the next block.
* Daniel + ieyo -> sounds like [Da-ni-e-ri-e-yo].

3. 요즘 날씨가 참 좋네요.

• Pronunciation: [Yo-jeum nal-ssi-ga cham jon-ne-yo]
• English Meaning: The weather is really nice these days.
• Detail: Koreans love talking about the weather in email openings! It serves as a “softener” to make the email less stiff before getting to the main point.

💡 Pronunciation Tip (Nasalization):
Look at the word 좋네요 (jonneyo).
* Written: 좋네요 (jot-ne-yo)
* Spoken: [존네요] (jon-ne-yo)
Why? The bottom ‘ㅎ’ is weak. When it meets the nasal sound ‘ㄴ(n)’, it often changes to match that sound for easier pronunciation. So, say it softly as “Jon-ne-yo,” not “Jot-ne-yo”!

Example Dialogue

Let’s see how these expressions work in a real email between Alex (a learner) and his Korean language partner, Sujin.

(Alex is writing an email to Sujin after watching a hit K-Drama).

💌 Email Subject: Hello Sujin!

Alex: 안녕하세요, 수진 씨! 잘 지내셨어요?
(Hello, Sujin! How have you been?)

Alex: 저 알렉스예요.
(It’s Alex.)

Alex: 요즘 날씨가 참 좋네요. 한국도 날씨가 좋아요?
(The weather is really nice these days. Is the weather good in Korea too?)

Alex: 저는 요즘 드라마 ‘오징어 게임2’를 보고 있어요. 정말 재미있어요!
(I am watching the drama ‘Squid Game 2’ these days. It’s really fun!)

Culture Tip & Trend Analysis 🇰🇷

“The Art of ‘Insa’ (Greeting) in Emails”

Did you notice Alex asked about the weather?
In Korea, jumping straight into business or requests can sometimes feel a bit cold or abrupt (unless it’s a very quick chat).

Current Trend:
Recently, among the “MZ Generation” (Millennials and Gen Z) in Korea, discussing health and seasons is still very trendy, but they also mix in light talk about popular culture!
* Instead of just “How are you?”, you might see: “Have you seen the latest BTS music video?” or “Be careful of the yellow dust (fine dust)!”

Using the phrase “요즘 날씨가 참 좋네요” or “감기 조심하세요” (Be careful not to catch a cold) makes you sound like a caring, native-like friend. It shows you care about their well-being, which is the heart of Korean “Jeong” (affection).

Wrap-up & Quiz

Today we learned how to start an email naturally.
1. 잘 지내셨어요? (How have you been?)
2. 저 [Name]예요. (It’s [Name].)
3. 요즘 날씨가 참 좋네요. (The weather is nice these days.)

📝 Mini Quiz!
Fill in the blank to complete the sentence.

“Hello! ____________? (How have you been?)”

A. 잘 먹겠습니다?
B. 잘 지내셨어요?

(Answer is at the bottom!)

Practice Time:
Leave a comment below introducing yourself using today’s expressions!
Example: “안녕하세요! 잘 지내셨어요? 저 [Your Name]예요.”

See you in the next lesson! Annyeong! 👋

(Quiz Answer: B)