Hello! Welcome to [Maeil Hangeul], your daily boost for leveling up your Korean skills!
Have you ever wanted to tell your Korean friend how great they look? Or maybe you were watching a K-Drama and wanted to gush about how handsome the main actor is? Today, we’re going to learn how to do just that: describe your friend’s appearance in Korean!
Lately in Korea, everyone’s been talking about the stunning visuals of actors in dramas like “Lovely Runner.” People on social media love to praise their looks using specific, trendy compliments. Now, you can learn these expressions to sound just like a native speaker and make your friends feel amazing!
Let’s get started!
Core Expressions You Need to Know
Here are some essential phrases to describe someone’s appearance.
- 한국어 표현: 잘생겼다 (for men) / 예쁘다 (for women)
- 발음 [로마자]: jal-saeng-gyeot-da / ye-ppeu-da
- 영어 뜻: To be handsome / To be pretty
- 상세 설명: These are the most fundamental and common ways to compliment someone’s looks. You can use them for anyone—friends, celebrities, you name it! To make it a polite sentence, just add -아요/어요 (-ayo/eoyo). For example: “진짜 잘생겼어요!” (jin-jja jal-saeng-gyeo-sseo-yo!) means “He’s really handsome!”
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한국어 표현: 분위기 있다
- 발음 [로마자]: bun-wi-gi it-da
- 영어 뜻: To have a certain vibe/aura; to be charismatic/atmospheric
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상세 설명: This is a fantastic compliment that goes beyond just “handsome” or “pretty.” It means someone has a special mood or captivating presence. You can use this for a person who is stylish, artistic, or has a mysterious charm. It’s a very sophisticated compliment!
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한국어 표현: 얼굴이 작다
- 발음 [로마자]: eol-gul-i jak-da
- 영어 뜻: To have a small face
- 상세 설명: This might sound strange in English, but in Korea, having a small face is a huge compliment! It’s considered a key feature of beauty because it makes your body proportions look better, similar to a model. If you say “얼굴 진짜 작아요!” (eol-gul jin-jja jag-a-yo!) to a Korean friend, they will be thrilled!
Example Dialogue
Let’s see how these phrases work in a real conversation between two friends, Sora and Mike.
Sora: Mike, did you see the photos from our trip last weekend?
(마이크, 우리 지난 주말 여행 사진 봤어?)
Mike: Yes! You look so pretty in this picture! 진짜 예쁘다!
(응! 이 사진에서 너 진짜 예쁘다!)
Sora: Haha, thanks! Look at this photo of Junsu. He has such a cool vibe here. 정말 분위기 있어.
(하하, 고마워! 이 사진 준수 좀 봐. 여기서 정말 분위기 있어.)
Mike: Wow, you’re right! And his face looks so small. 완전 얼굴이 작네! He looks like a celebrity.
(와, 맞네! 그리고 완전 얼굴이 작네! 연예인 같아.)
Culture Tip & Trend Deep Dive: The “얼굴 천재”
If you follow K-Pop or K-Dramas, you’ve probably heard the term 얼굴 천재 (eol-gul cheon-jae).
- What does it mean? Literally, “face genius.” It’s a trendy slang term used to describe a celebrity who is so unbelievably handsome or beautiful that their face is considered a work of genius. Think of idols like ASTRO’s Cha Eun-woo or actors like Byeon Woo-seok.
- How to use it: This term is mostly reserved for top-tier visuals. You can point to a picture of your favorite idol and say, “이 아이돌은 얼굴 천재야.” (i a-i-dol-eun eol-gul cheon-jae-ya) meaning, “This idol is a face genius.”
- Pro-Tip: While it’s usually for celebrities, you can jokingly say it to a very good-looking friend to give them a huge and trendy compliment. They’ll know you’re up-to-date with Korean culture!
Knowing phrases like 분위기 있다 (bun-wi-gi it-da) and 얼굴이 작다 (eol-gul-i jak-da) will make your compliments sound much more natural and impressive to native speakers.
Let’s Practice!
Great job today! You’ve learned some fantastic ways to describe people’s appearances in Korean. Now you can compliment your friends and talk about your favorite K-Drama actors with confidence.
Quick Quiz:
- Your friend shows you a picture of a very charismatic and stylish actor. What’s a great compliment besides “handsome”?
- A) 얼굴이 커요 (eol-gul-i keo-yo) – His face is big.
- B) 분위기 있어요 (bun-wi-gi i-sseo-yo) – He has a great vibe.
- C) 피곤해요 (pi-gon-hae-yo) – He is tired.
(The answer is B!)
Now it’s your turn! Try describing your favorite celebrity or your best friend in the comments below using one of the expressions we learned today. I can’t wait to read them
