From ‘Wow’ to ‘Daebak’: How to Describe Your Travel Photos in Korean!
Hello! This is [Maeil Hangeul], here to upgrade your Korean skills!
Have you ever come back from an amazing trip with hundreds of photos, but when you try to show your Korean friends, you can only say “Good photo”? Don’t worry! Today, we’re going to learn some fun and easy Korean expressions to describe your travel pictures like a native speaker.
Lately in Korea, with more people traveling, everyone is sharing their best travel photos, called ‘인생샷’ (insaeng-syat), on Instagram. After today’s lesson, you’ll be able to share your own memories and impress your friends with your awesome Korean!
Let’s get started!
Core Expressions You Need to Know
Here are three essential expressions for showing off your travel photos.
1. 여기는 [장소]이에요/예요. (This is [place].)
- Pronunciation [Romanized]: Yeogineun [jangso]-ieyo / yeyo.
- English Meaning: This is [place].
- Detailed Explanation: This is the most basic and important phrase! It’s how you tell someone where the photo was taken.
- Use 이에요 (ieyo) after a noun that ends in a consonant (e.g., 한국 -> 한국이에요).
- Use 예요 (yeyo) after a noun that ends in a vowel (e.g., 제주도 -> 제주도예요).
- This is a polite and friendly expression you can use with anyone.
2. 경치가 진짜 멋있었어요. (The view was really amazing.)
- Pronunciation [Romanized]: Gyeongchi-ga jinjja meosisseosseoyo.
- English Meaning: The view was really cool/amazing.
- Detailed Explanation: Did you take a picture of a beautiful landscape? This is the perfect phrase!
- 경치 (gyeongchi) means “view” or “scenery.”
- 진짜 (jinjja) is a very common, casual word for “really” or “truly.”
- 멋있었어요 (meosisseosseoyo) is the past tense of “to be cool/awesome.” You’re talking about a memory, so the past tense is key!
3. 인생샷 건졌어요! (I got the picture of a lifetime!)
- Pronunciation [Romanized]: Insaeng-syat geonjyeosseoyo!
- English Meaning: I got the picture of a lifetime! / I got a “life shot”!
- Detailed Explanation: This is a super trendy phrase that will make you sound like a local!
- 인생샷 (insaeng-syat) is a combination of 인생 (insaeng), meaning “life,” and 샷 (syat), meaning “shot.” It refers to that one perfect photo of yourself that you’ll treasure forever.
- 건졌어요 (geonjyeosseoyo) literally means “I fished it out” or “I salvaged it,” but in this context, it means you successfully “got” or “scored” something great. Use this when you’re really proud of a photo!
Example Dialogue
Let’s see how these expressions work in a real conversation. A is showing B a photo from their trip to Jeju Island.
A: 이 사진 보세요! 제주도 여행에서 찍었어요.
(i sajin boseyo! Jeju-do yeohaeng-eseo jjigeosseoyo.)
(Look at this picture! I took it on my Jeju trip.)
B: 와, 예쁘다! 여기 어디예요?
(Wa, yeppeuda! Yeogi eodiyeyo?)
(Wow, it’s pretty! Where is this?)
A: 여기는 성산일출봉이에요. 아침에 갔는데, 경치가 진짜 멋있었어요.
(Yeogineun Seongsan Ilchulbong-ieyo. Achim-e ganneunde, gyeongchi-ga jinjja meosisseosseoyo.)
(This is Seongsan Ilchulbong. I went in the morning, and the view was really amazing.)
B: 사진 정말 잘 나왔어요! 모델 같아요!
(Sajin jeongmal jal nawasseoyo! Model gatayo!)
(The photo came out so well! You look like a model!)
A: ㅎㅎ 고마워요. 제 인생샷 건졌어요!
(Hehe gomawoyo. Je insaeng-syat geonjyeosseoyo!)
(Haha, thanks. I think I got my life shot!)
Culture Tip & Trend Deep Dive
In Korea, taking the perfect 인생샷 (insaeng-syat) is a serious part of any vacation! You’ll often see people waiting in long lines at popular photo spots, like the colorful flower fields in Jeju or beautifully decorated cafes in Seoul, just to get that one amazing picture for their Instagram.
So, when your Korean friend posts a fantastic photo of themselves, the best compliment you can give is commenting, “인생샷이다!” (Insaeng-syat-ida! – “That’s a life shot!”). They will be so happy! Knowing this word shows you really understand modern Korean culture.
Wrap-up & Practice Time!
Great job today! You learned how to introduce a location (여기는…이에요/예요), describe a beautiful view (경치가 진짜 멋있었어요), and show off your best picture (인생샷 건졌어요).
Now, let’s practice!
- Fill in the blank: You are showing your friend a photo you took in Busan. How do you say, “This is Busan”?
- 여기는 부산_______
- Make a sentence: You want to say, “The view in Seoul was really amazing.” How would you write that?
- _________________________________________
Leave your answers and try describing one of your own travel photos in the comments below using the expressions we learned today! We can’t wait to see them
