Text in Korean Like a Pro with Korean Texting Slang!

If you’re coming to Korea, you will probably have plenty of opportunity to text in Korean. But even if you don’t care to learn how to text in Korean, these little Korean texting slang tidbits will do wonders in understanding your Korean friends via text. Learn these Korean texting slang, and you just might make your Korean friends chuckle

헐 (heol)

This Korean slang term doesn’t necessarily have a meaning. It’s mostly used to express a mild shock or surprise and at times disappointment. This is mainly used as a non-positive response.

Korean texting example #1:
A: 어디야? (Where are you?)
B: 집, 왜? (Home, why?)
A: 헐… 만나기로 했잖아 (heol, we were supposed to meet)

Korean texting example #2:
A: 머리 밀어버렸어! (I shaved my head!)
B: 헐… (heol)

Korean texting example #3:
A: 비둘기 먹었다!! (I ate pigeon!!)
B: 헐… (heol…)

Note: This texting slang is age sensitive. It is spoken (mostly by very young people), but 헐 (heol) can be seen in Korean texts used by people up to their late 20′s.

ㅇㅇ aka 응 (eung) – Ok/yes

Many Korean texters like to use the least amount of finger movement as possible. And this is totally true with the Korean word for yes/ok, 응 (eung). Instead of wasting precious energy by typing the extra vowel ㅡ (eu), people just omit it totally and text ㅇㅇ.

Korean texting example #1:
A: 밥 먹었어? (Did you eat?)
B: ㅇㅇ (yes)

Korean texting example #2:
A: 빨리 와! (Hurry and come!)
B: ㅇㅇ (ok)

ㅋㅋ (kk) vs ㅎㅎ (hh) vs 푸하하 (puhaha)

The equivalent of “haha” or “hehe,” people use ㅋㅋ (kk) or ㅎㅎ (hh) to not necessarily show real laughter but more as a text filler to make their texts in Korean friendlier or lighter. But if someone manages to make a super hilarious joke via text, many people use 푸하하 (puhaha) to show that there is actual laughter (or at least giggling) going on.

Korean texting example #1:
A: 학교 안 갔어 ㅎㅎ (I didn’t go to school haha)

Korean texting example #2:
A: 나랑 밥 먹을래? (Do you want to eat with me?)
B: 음.. 별로 ㅋㅋ (Umm.. not really haha)

Korean texting example #3:
A: 나 오늘 요리해줄까?? (Should I make you food today?)
B: 푸하하 됐어 (puhaha no thanks)

월욜 (weolyol) = 월요일 (weolyoil)

This is the Korean texting equivalent of shortening “Monday” to “Mon” which is always useful for all the world’s lazy Korean texters. This can be used for any day of the week, essentially the latter part of 요일 (yoil) is shortened to 욜 (yol).

Korean texting example #1:
A: 월욜 만날까? (Should we meet mon?)
B: 목욜 보자 (Lets meet thur)
Have any more Korean texting terms to add? Feel free to add in the comment section!