Tanghulu Emergency! How to Ask for Napkins in Korean
Hello! Welcome to [Maeil Hangul], your daily boost for leveling up your Korean skills!
Have you ever found yourself in a sticky situation while enjoying delicious Korean street food? We’ve all been there! You’ve just taken a big bite of spicy tteokbokki or a sweet, syrupy hotteok, and suddenly… you need a napkin, ASAP!
Today, we’re going to tackle this very common and important scenario. Especially with the massive Tanghulu (탕후루) craze sweeping Korea right now—those crunchy, sugar-coated fruits are delicious but notoriously messy! Learning how to ask for a napkin or a wet wipe will make you feel like a true local. Let’s get you ready to conquer the Korean street food scene without any sticky fingers!
Key Expressions You Need to Know
Here are three essential phrases to save you from any messy food emergency.
1. The Magic Words: Napkin & Wet Wipe
- Korean: 냅킨 (Napkin) / 물티슈 (Mul-ti-syu)
- Pronunciation [Romanized]: [Naep-kin] / [Mul-ti-shoo]
- English Meaning: Napkin / Wet wipe
- Detailed Explanation: These are your two best friends. 냅킨 (naepkin) is a direct loanword from English, so it’s easy to remember! It refers to a dry paper napkin. 물티슈 (multisyu) is a combination of 물 (mul), meaning “water,” and 티슈 (tisyu), from “tissue.” It’s a wet wipe, perfect for extra sticky situations (like Tanghulu sauce!).
2. The Polite Request: “Please give me…”
- Korean: … 좀 주세요.
- Pronunciation [Romanized]: [… jom ju-se-yo.]
- English Meaning: Please give me…
- Detailed Explanation: This is the most important polite request phrase in Korean. 주세요 (juseyo) means “please give me,” and adding 좀 (jom), which means “a little,” softens the request and makes it sound more natural and polite. You can put any noun you want in front of it.
- 냅킨 좀 주세요. (Naepkin jom juseyo.) – Please give me a napkin.
- 물티슈 좀 주세요. (Multisyu jom juseyo.) – Please give me a wet wipe.
3. The Search Mission: “Where is…?”
- Korean: … 어디에 있어요?
- Pronunciation [Romanized]: [… eo-di-e i-sseo-yo?]
- English Meaning: Where is…? / Where are…?
- Detailed Explanation: Sometimes, napkins are self-service. In that case, you’ll need to ask where they are. This phrase is perfect for that. Just place the word for what you’re looking for at the beginning.
- 냅킨은 어디에 있어요? (Naepkineun eodie isseoyo?) – Where are the napkins?
Example Dialogue: The Tanghulu Adventure
Let’s see how these phrases work in a real-life conversation at a street food stall in Hongdae!
- A (You): (After finishing a delicious but sticky strawberry Tanghulu)
우와, 진짜 맛있다! 어떡해, 손이 너무 끈적거려요.
(Uwa, jinjja masitda! Eotteokae, soni neomu kkeunjeok-georyeoyo.)
Wow, this is so good! Oh no, my hands are so sticky. -
B (Friend):
사장님께 물티슈 달라고 해봐.
(Sajangnim-kke multisyu dallago haebwa.)
Try asking the owner for a wet wipe. -
A (You, to the vendor):
사장님, 혹시 물티슈 좀 주세요!
(Sajangnim, hoksi multisyu jom juseyo!)
Excuse me, could I please have a wet wipe? -
Vendor:
네, 여기요. 맛있게 드셨어요?
(Ne, yeogiyo. Masitge deusyeosseoyo?)
Yes, here you go. Did you enjoy it?
Cultural Tip & Trend Deep Dive
The Tanghulu Craze & The “Self” Culture
You can’t walk through a trendy neighborhood in Seoul like Hongdae or Myeongdong without seeing someone eating Tanghulu (탕후루). These candied fruits on a stick have become a massive social media sensation, especially on TikTok and Instagram Reels. Why? They’re colorful, crunchy (the ASMR is super satisfying!), and sweet. But everyone knows they are a recipe for sticky hands!
This brings us to a key cultural point: “셀프” (sel-peu), or self-service. In many casual restaurants and food stalls in Korea, items like water, kimchi, and yes, napkins (냅킨), are often self-service. You’ll usually find a designated “셀프 코너” (sel-peu ko-neo) or self-service corner.
So, before you ask the busy owner (사장님 – sajangnim), take a quick look around. If you can’t spot the napkins, using “냅킨은 어디에 있어요?” (Where are the napkins?) shows you’re in the know. Using these phrases confidently will make you look like a seasoned pro on your Korean food adventures!
Let’s Review & Practice!
Great job today! You’ve learned how to handle one of the most common situations when enjoying Korean street food. You now know the words for napkin (냅킨) and wet wipe (물티슈), and how to politely ask for them with … 좀 주세요.
Now, time for a quick quiz!
Practice Question: You just finished some spicy dak-kkochi (chicken skewers) and your mouth is on fire, but also a little messy. You want a regular, dry napkin. What do you say to the vendor?
Fill in the blank:
사장님, ______ 좀 주세요!
Leave your answer in the comments below using the phrases we learned today! We’d love to see you try it out. Happy eating
