Korean Dating and Romance Terms!

Happy Valentine’s Day! Maybe your partner is Korean, maybe you want to use your partner and subject them to Korean and your study progress or maybe you’re looking to get in the Korean dating scene. These terms, phrases, and words are commonplace and related to romance in Korea, let’s get into it!

One important thing about the Korean dating and romance scene is along with words like boyfriend and girlfriend, people also commonly use terms for family. Many of you probably know this if you have been watching or listening to Korean media for a while but words like 오빠 (which means brother; and is used by a younger girl) can be used for friends, or even for your boyfriend!

But I’ll get into the Korean family terms a bit later so for now let’s focus on romance!

남자친구 = boyfriend – full term 
여자친구 = girlfriend – full term
남친 = boyfriend – shortened
여친 = girlfriend -shortened
전 남자/여자친구 = ex boyfriend/ ex girlfriend

자기 = honey/darling (for any gender)
남사친 = (male) someone whos just a friend
   lit. man person friend 남=남자 사=사람  친=친구
여사친 = (female) someone whos just a friend
   lit. girl person friend 여=여자 사=사람  친=친구
모쏠 = someone who has never dated before
   모태 솔로, solo since birth (lit. forever solo)

몸짱 = the best body
얼짱 = best/prettiest face
(more appearance terms here!)

심쿵 = heartbeat/huge crush
   심 from 심장 heart and 쿵 from 쿵쿵 heartbeat
밀당 = push and pull
소개팅 = blind date
그린라이트 = green light
   when you get a positive signal from someone that they like you
썸 = some
   like ‘something is going on between you two’ in between dating and just friendship
케미 = romantic chemistry

금사빠 = someone who falls in love easily
   shortened from the full sentence 금방 사랑에 빠지는 사람
훈남 = a handsome well-mannered man
뇌섹남 = a smart attractive guy
세젤예 = most beautiful in the world
   from the full sentence 세상에서 제일 예쁜
여신 = beautiful woman like a goddess
품절남/녀 = someone who just got married
   남 ending for a man 녀 for a woman
선수 = player
짝사랑 = unrequited love; crush
사귀다 = to date

Need help with reading the list? Check out my Hangul 101 post and use these words to build up your reading skills.