The word beautiful in korean

Kim Tae Hee, Song Hye Kyo, Bae Suzy, Kim So Eun, and Son Hye Jin. They are just 5 perfect examples to define beautiful in Korean 예쁩니다 (Yeppeumnida). From skincare products and beauty treatments to their naturally flawless skin, Koreans, both women, and men are undoubtedly beautiful.

But, Korea is not just about beautiful flowers like cherry blossoms and beautiful tourist spots like Changdeokgung Palace. Lies beneath the beautiful and jaw-dropping sceneries in Korea are an amazing culture and beautiful people. So, let’s learn how to say beautiful in Korean 예쁩니다 (Yeppeumnida).

The word beautiful is often used to describe something or someone aesthetically pleasing to the senses or mind. However, saying beautiful can be done in different words and forms. It can also be said in different languages like Beau/Belle in French, Bellissimo/Bellissima in Italian, 美麗 (mei5 lai6) in Cantonese, and ស្អាត (Sat) in Khmer.

Appreciating the beauty of something or someone is a manifestation that you have a genuine heart. Learning to see beauty even in small things is what we need during these times of uncertainty because it is when we learn how to appreciate how blessed we are to have this beautiful world that we will truly be happy and contented. v

How Do Koreans Speak?

If you are a fan of K-dramas, you will notice that Koreans have different ways to speak to one another. For those who are new to learning Korean, the first thing you should know is that Koreans practice and value politeness and respect for other people, especially elders. Koreans have this thing called levels of politeness. This dictates what Korean words or phrases you should use when talking to other people.

When talking with your friends, someone close to you, or someone younger than you, use the informal form. Use the formal form when talking with someone much older than you or someone with higher ranks than you. Koreans also have a standard form that is not too formal and not too informal either.

So, if you want to say something to a Korean, make sure that you remember and understand their ways when talking to someone. There’s no harm in being polite. In fact, this can save you from offending someone by mistake.

 

Learn Korean: How To Say Beautiful In Korean

Beautiful (예쁩니다 | Yeppeumnida). This is one of the best words you can use to describe Korea in different aspects. From the breathtaking scenery and the colorful culture down to the amazing people, Korea is truly beautiful in its way. So, let’s learn how to say beautiful in Korean. You will discover the standard, formal and informal ways of saying beautiful in Korean.

Standard

The standard way of speaking in Korean involves using Korean words that are not too formal but not too informal either. If you know a little bit about the Korean language, you can use this in casual conversations to still sound polite. So, try learning this standard way to say beautiful in Korean. Don’t worry. Even if it is written in Hangul, there’s a romanization beside the word to serve as your guide for pronunciation.

1. 예뻐요 (Yeppeoyo)

2. 아름다워요 (Areumdawoyo)

3. 이뻐요 (Ippeoyo)

All of these words are used to say pretty or beautiful in Korean. You may notice the Korean character 요 (yo) added at the end of each word to make it sound polite.

Formal

If you would like to go formal, then these words are the ones to learn. It is just the same as the words above. The only difference is the character 니다 (ni da) at the end of the word. The character 니다 (ni da) is used to make the word formal. The formal form of the word is usually used for people much older than you or people of higher ranks. It can also be used when talking to strangers as a sign of respect.

1. 예쁩니다 (Yeppeumnida)

2. 아름답습니다 (Areumdapseumnida)

Informal

Talking with your friends, girlfriends, or someone younger or the same age as you? You can use the informal way to say beautiful in Korean. You can see the absence of the Korean character 니다 (ni da) and 요 (yo).

1.  예뻐 (Yeppeo)

2. 아름다워 (Areumdawo)

3. 이뻐 (Ippeo)

When you go to Korea, these are the words that you will usually hear from the locals to say beautiful in Korean. It is just being modified depending on what you are talking about or to whom you are talking.

Other Words For Beautiful In Korean

Aside from pretty and beautiful, there are other words that you can use related to the word beautiful. Add these words to your Korean vocabulary. Who knows? You might actually use it someday.

Using The Word ‘Beautiful’ In Korean Phrases And Sentences

After learning the different ways to say beautiful in Korean, let us now use it in sentences or phrases. Remember, the main goal of learning a language is to be able to communicate with other people. So, here are eight phrases that Korean people use to say beautiful in Korean.

Korean: A Beautiful Language To Learn

Have you ever been to Korea? If not, have you ever watched K-dramas or listened to Kpop? From there, you can see how beautiful Korea is. It is not just about the tourist spots and beautiful culture and traditions, it is also about their beautiful people, and the Korean language is spoken throughout the whole country. But, what makes the Korean language beautiful? It is the culture and traditions behind it. The use of words and the way it was spoken depending on whom you are talking with is amazing.

Maybe right now, this is just some information for you because you still haven’t experienced learning Korean so, Ling App is here to help you. With various topics and lessons available online, you can learn Korean anytime and anywhere you want. Have fun learning Korean because Ling App uses gamification. Every example word or phrase has a corresponding translation, video, and audio recording from a native speaker.

Channel the inner Korean in you. Experience the real beauty of the Korean language through Ling App!

If you’ve ever visited Korea, you already know that Korea is such a beautiful country! There are beautiful people, beautiful mountains, beautiful beaches, and lots of beautiful places to check out. So, learning how to say beautiful in Korean is incredibly useful. Read on to find out the informal, polite, and formal ways to say beautiful in Korean, plus some other related expressions such as “You’re beautiful”, “You’re pretty”, and “It’s beautiful.”

There are two adjectives used to say beautiful in Korean. These are 예쁘다 [ye-ppeu-da] and 아름답다 [a-reum-dap-da]. The main difference between 예쁘다 and 아름답다 is that 예쁘다 is more commonly used when talking about people, and 아름답다 is more commonly used to describe beautiful scenery.

Informal 1: 예뻐 [ye-ppeo]

The informal way to say beautiful in Korean is 예뻐 [ye-ppeo]. This is the adjective 예쁘다 (beautiful) conjugated into the Korean present tense without any polite ending. As this is the informal way to say beautiful in Korean, it should only be used with close friends, you’re boyfriend/girlfriend, or those much younger than you.

Informal 2: 아름다워 [a-reum-da-weo]

Another informal way to say beautiful is 아름다워 a-reum-da-weo]. Again, this is simply the adjective 아름답다 (beautiful) conjugated into the present tense without any polite ending.

Polite 1: 예뻐요 [ye-ppeo-yo]

The polite way to say beautiful in Korean is 예뻐요 [ye-ppeo-yo]. This is the adjective 예쁘다 (beautiful) conjugated into the Korean present tense with the polite ending 요 attached.

Polite 2: 아름다워요 [a-reum-da-weo-yo]

Another polite way to say beautiful in Korean is 아름다워요 [a-reum-da-weo-yo]. This is the adjective 아름답다 (beautiful) conjugated into the present tense with the polite ending 요 attached.

You Are Beautiful In Korean

Before we look at how to say “You’re beautiful” in Korean, it’s important to note that ‘You’ in Korean is not used in the same way that ‘you’ is used in other languages. In Korean, using the word ‘you’ is often seen as too direct and could even be considered rude. Pronouns like ‘you’ in Korean are often dropped and it is usually clear from the context who you are referring to. With that being said, here are the most common ways to say “You’re beautiful.” in Korean:

• 예쁘다 [ye=ppeu-da] (Dictionary Form)
• 예뻐요 [ye-ppeo-yo] (Polite)
• 예쁘세요 [ye-ppeu-se-yo] (More Polite / Honorific)
• 예쁘십니다 [ye-ppeu-sim-ni-da] (Even More Polite / Formal)

Related Lessons

Thanks for reading. I hope you found this lesson on how to say Beautiful In Korean useful. Before you go, check out these related Korean lessons:

Cute In Korean
The Meaning Of Oppa
I Miss You In Korean
I Love You In Korean

Introduction

If you want to captivate your Korean crush or crush your Korean exam, knowing how to say “you’re beautiful in Korean” is key. 

In fact, learning the Spanish words for “beautiful” empowers you to praise someone or something.

But the Korean language has loads of words for something that is beautiful or to indicate a cute person.

With so many options around, deciding which one to use when is a bit tricky. 

Here’s a guide on “7 ways to say beautiful in Korean” that talks about the most gorgeous places, people, objects, and situations. 

You’ll also learn related words and phrases about pretty in Korean, so you’ll always have the perfect word for any situation.

Let’s dive in. 

There are two adjectives used to say beautiful in Korean. These are 예쁘다 [ye-ppeu-da] and 아름답다 [a-reum-dap-da]. 

The main difference between 예쁘다 and 아름답다 is that 예쁘다 is more commonly used when talking about people, and 아름답다 is more commonly used to describe beautiful scenery.

예쁘다 and 아름답다 are the basic adjective form in Korean, and you can use conjugate them and use it in six different ways

So, here are phrases that Korean people use to say beautiful in Korean in formal, casual, and polite situations.

• beautiful in Korean standard form-아름다워요 [ah-reum-da-wo-yo]
• beautiful in korean informal-아름다워 [ah-reum-da-wo]
• beautiful in Korean formal-아름답습니다 [ah-reum-dap-seup-ni-da]
• Slang Words for Beautiful in Korean-

This Korean word, ‘아름답다’  would be a useful word for you to describe beautiful people, and beautiful scenery in Korea, or simply talk about beautiful things around you.

But if you can also use ‘예쁘다’ to compliment your friends and coworkers, or describe something pretty around you.

예쁘다 [ye-bbeu-da] dictionary form of this word and means ‘pretty’ and you can use them in three different ways, such as 예쁩니다 [ye-ppeum-ni-da] for (formal) 예뻐요[ye-ppuh-yo] in polite 예뻐 [ye-ppuh]– in casual

Let me explain them in detail

Beautiful in Korean standard form

You can us the words 예뻐요 (Yeppeoyo), 아름다워요 (Areumdawoyo)and  이뻐요 (Ippeoyo) to say pretty or beautiful in Korean. 

Did you notice the ending 요 (yo) added at the end of each word, which is used to make these expressions more polite?

예뻐요 [ye-ppeo-yo]

예뻐요 [ye-ppeo-yo] is the polite way to say beautiful in Korean.  It comes from the basic form 예쁘다 (beautiful) conjugated into the Korean present tense.

You can use this form when you are Talking to someone older than you, a stranger or you are not close with them or a group of people.

Example 

It’s really pretty.

정말 예뻐요.

That’s a great sweater!

저 스웨터 너무 예뻐요!

The decorations are very pretty.

장식이 너무 예뻐요. 

She looks good in any clothes.

옷걸이가 좋아서 뭘 입어도 예뻐요. 

The leaves are so pretty.

나뭇잎들이 너무 예뻐요. 

The doll is lovely and pretty. 

그 인형은 사랑스럽고 예뻐요.

아름다워요 [a-reum-da-weo-yo]

아름다워요 [a-reum-da-weo-yo].is a polite way to say beautiful in Korean which comes from the adjective, 아름답다 means “beautiful.” it is conjugated into the present tense.

You can use this polite form with someone older than you, unknown people, Talking to a group of people or you are not sure what form to use or don’t know their age.

Most of the time Koreans likes to drop the subject and say just simply areumdawoyo (아름다워요) as long as it’s obvious what or who you are talking about. 

Example 

The sea is beautiful.

바다는 참 아름다워요.

You look absolutely stunning! 

당신 그야말로 너무 아름다워요!

The color is just so beautiful! 

색이 정말 너무 아름다워요!

Snow White is beautiful. 

백설공주는 아름다워요.

The surrounding countryside is very pretty. 

주변의 경관이 너무 아름다워요.

You are delicate and beautiful like a rose. 

장미처럼 우아하고 아름다워요.

The bride is so beautiful. 

신부가 아주 아름다워요

The necklace is very beautiful. 

목걸이가 너무 아름다워요.

Snowflakes are really beautiful. 

눈송이들은 정말 아름다워요.

you’re looking really beautiful tonight. 

당신 오늘밤 정말 아름다워요

The weather is so beautiful outside. 

밖에 날씨가 너무 아름다워요.

Beautiful in korean informal

For close friends and informal situations, you don’t need to be so polite, you can be freely informal with them.

You can use the words 예뻐 [ye-ppeo] ,아름다워 [a-reum-da-weo] and 이뻐 (ippeo) to say pretty or beautiful in Korean. 

Just drop the ending 요 (yo) added at the end of each word in the polite version of “beautiful” or “pretty” in Korean to make it more casual. 

However, you should use this form when talking to your siblings., younger people, friends, or kids.

In case you don’t know which form to use, it’s safe to use the polite version. 

At least you won’t sound rude.

예뻐 [ye-ppeo]

예뻐요 [ye-ppeo-yo] is the informal way to say beautiful in Korean. It comes from the basic form 예쁘다 (beautiful) conjugated into the Korean present tense but without the polite ending 요(yo).

You can use this form when you are talking to your close friends, your boyfriend/girlfriend, or people younger than you.

Example 

Annabel’s pretty but she’s not my type. 

애나벨은 이뻐 하지만 그녀는 내 타입은 아니야.

 What if I look more beautiful than the bride? 

신부보다 내가 더 예뻐 보이면 어떡해?

You look so pretty in that dress! 

너 그 드레스 입으니 정말 예뻐!

Do you think I look pretty? 

너는 내가 이뻐 보여?

She looks so pretty in the pictures. She is so photogenic. 

그녀는 사진에서 참 예뻐 보인다. 그녀는 사진이 잘 받는다

Doesn’t she look prettier with her hair up? 

머리를 올리니까 더 예뻐 보이지 않니?

I envy her. She is so smart and pretty. 

나는 그녀가 질투나.그녀는 정말 똑똑하고 예뻐.

I think you look very pretty today. 

너 오늘 너무 예뻐 보여.

she has a beautiful voice. 

그녀는 목소리도 예뻐.

아름다워 [a-reum-da-weo]

아름다워 [a-reum-da-weo] is a causal way to say beautiful in Korean, which comes from the adjective, 아름답다 means beautiful. it is conjugated into the present tense without the polite ending “요”.

You can use this form when talking to your close friends, your wife, or your girlfriend. or people younger than you.

Example

I really enjoy the countryside. 

시골풍경이 정말 아름다워

The flowers look very beautiful. 

꽃들이 너무 아름다워!

The weather is so beautiful outside today. 

오늘 바깥 날씨가 너무나 아름다워.

You have such a beautiful smile! 

미소는 너무나 아름다워!

The weather is really beautiful these days. 

요즘 날씨가 정말로 아름다워.

The night view along the Han River is so beautiful. 

한강을 따라 보이는 야경이 너무나 아름다워

I’m Beautiful No Matter What They Say! 

누가 뭐래도 난 아름다워!

What’s wrong with wanting to be more beautiful? 

더 아름다워 지고 싶은 게 잘못인가요?

beautiful in korean formal

아름답습니다 (a-reum-dab-seum-ni-da) is used as the formal version to say beautiful in Korean. Another word 예쁩니다 (yeppeumnida)is also used o say pretty in Korean in extreme formal settings. It comes from the basic form 예쁘다 (beautiful) with the formal ending ~습니다.

Like all formal versions of phrases, you would use this expression towards someone older or in professional settings, where you have to show more respect than usual. 

You might still hear it in formal settings in Meetings, television news, debates, and speeches. Korean hardly use this for daily life conversation. 

Chances are you won’t need to use this form that much as a beginner

Example

The Korean language is very beautiful. 

한국어는 매우 아름답습니다.

My wife is intelligent and beautiful. 

제 아내는 총명하고 아름답습니다.

Love is beautiful no matter where you are. 

당신이 어디에 있든지 사랑은 아름답습니다.

You are clearly so quick-witted and beautiful. 

당신은 명백히 두뇌회전이 빠르고 아름답습니다.

Your new home is beautiful. 

당신은 새 집은 아름답습니다.

Boston is so beautiful this time of year. 

보스톤이 매년 이맘 때 아주 아름답습니다.

jewels in the picture are so beautiful. 

사진속의 보석이 매우 아름답습니다

All of the spring flowers are very beautiful. 

모든 봄 꽃들은 매우 아름답습니다.

The pink flowers are very beautiful! 

그 분홍색 꽃들은 매우 아름답습니다!

Christmas tree in the pictures is very beautiful. 

사진 속의 크리스마스 트리는 매우 아름답습니다.

The design is beautiful.’ 

디자인도 아름답습니다

sky lanterns in the night sky are beautiful. 

밤하늘의 풍등들이 아름답습니다.

Slang Words for Beautiful in korean

And finally, if you really want to sound like a native speaker, it’s time to learn some Korean slang for beautiful.

The slang word for beautiful in Korean language is 이뻐요 (ippeoyo) . 

You can use this expression when talking to people who are older or not particularly close to you. 

The slang word 이뻐요 (ippeoyo) can be used, but it is recommended to use 예뻐요 (yeppeoyo) instead.

it can be used, but it is recommended to use 예뻐요 (yeppeoyo) instead. That person is beautiful

Example

They are obviously much prettier than us. 

우리들 보다 훨씬 이뻐요.

coriander is lovely. 

고수는 참 이뻐요

How to say “you are beautiful in korean”

Before we look at how to say “You’re beautiful” in Korean, it’s important to note that ‘You’ in Korean is not used in the same way that ‘you’ is used in other languages. 

Pronouns like ‘you’ in Korean are often dropped and it is usually clear from the context who you are referring to.

예뻐요 [ye-ppeo-yo]/예쁘세요 [ye-ppeu-se-yo] is the most common way to say “You’re beautiful.” in Korean: it comes from the basic dictionary form 예쁘다 [ye=ppeu-da]. For casual speech for kids, you can use 너 예쁘다 or 예쁘다. (yep-peu-da) for friends But in Formal polite settings, just use 예쁘십니다 or 아름다우십니다.

here are the most common ways to say “You’re beautiful.” in Korean:

• 예쁘다 [ye=ppeu-da] (Dictionary Form)
• 예뻐요 [ye-ppeo-yo] (Polite)
• 예쁘세요 [ye-ppeu-se-yo] /예쁘네요.(More Polite / Honorific)
• 너 예쁘다./예쁘네.(causal)
• 예쁘십니다 [ye-ppeu-sim-ni-da]/아름다우십니다.(Even More Polite / Formal)

How to say “you are so beautiful in korean”?

If you want to say you are so pretty or very pretty, you can say 너는 (너무) 예뻐요. For polite situations where Neo (너) means you, Neun (는) is the Topic Marker and Neomu (너무)  means very and 예뻐요.(Yeppeoyo)means pretty.

Here is how to say you are so beautiful in Korean in different speech levels

• 너는 (너무) 예쁘십니다. (Formal-Honorific)
• 너는 (너무) 예뻐요. (polite)
• 너는 (너무) 예뻐 (causal)

Or you can 정말 to describe  “you are really pretty” where 정말(jongmal) means really like this

• (정말) 예쁘시네요. ((jeong-mal) yep-peu-shi-nae-yo)- for non-friends or flirting
• (정말) 예쁘네. ((jeong-mal) yep-peu-nae)-For complimenting to kids
• 예쁘다. (yep-peu-da)-For complimenting to friends

How to say you look great in Korean

You look great in Korean is translatable as 대단하게 보이십니다 in an honorific form. It comes from the basic dictionary form 대단하다, an adjective in Korean, and the word look is 보이다 means “to be seen”.

But the translation does not sound natural. So Koreans like s to some alternative expressions such as 

아주 멋지다.

아주 멋져.

대단히 멋지다

대단히 멋져.

If you are close to a person, you may say

끝내주네!

You is omittable from the translation and 아주(ahjoo) means very.

You can be translated into many ways due to various honorific forms for the subject, such as 너, 당신, 그대, 선생난, 어르신. 아가씨, 아저씨, 야가야

How to use beautiful as a modified verb?

All the above forms are used at the end of a sentence to say “[subject] is beautiful.” but if you want to modify the noun to describe something.

To modify the noun, you just have to use this word to 아름다운(areumdaun)and add the noun at the end. 

The structure to use the beautiful in Korean as an modified verb is 

아름다운(areumdaun)+ Noun

For example:

• Beautiful  rose-아름다운 장미-areumdaun jangmi
• Beautiful place-아름다운 곳
• Beautiful sea-아름다운 바다(areumdaun bada)
• Beautiful house-아름다운 집(areumdaun jip)
• Pretty women-예쁜 여자 (yeppeun yeoja)

 Example sentences

Look at the beautiful roses! 

저 아름다운 장미를 좀 보세요!

What is the most beautiful place in the world? 

세계에서 가장 아름다운 장소는 어디인가요?

Swansea is such a beautiful place. 

스완지는 정말 아름다운 곳이야.

What a beautiful house! 

정말 멋진 집이에요!

There are a beautiful sea and delicious food in my hometown.

나의 고향에는 아름다운 바다와 맛있는 음식이 있다.

nae gohyangeneun areumdaun badawa madinneun eumsigi ittta

“Who’s this pretty woman?”

“이 예쁜 여자는 누구냐?”

Thank you in Korean |How to respond when you are being called beautiful?

감사합니다(Kam-sa-ham-ni-da) means “thank you” in Korean and is the standard way. You can use it to show respect to strangers, your bosses, and elderly people. Koreans also use 고맙습니다(gomabseubnida) in all formal settings, whereas고마워 (gomawo) is for casual situations. You can use the phrases 고마워요 (gomawoyo)/ 감사해요 (gamsahaeyo) to show appreciation in a polite way.

So, Here is how to say thank you in Korean(formal & informal) in different situations.

Thank you in Korean informal – 고마워 (gomawo) 

Thank you in Korean polite – 고마워요 (gomawoyo) or 감사해요 (gamsahaeyo) 

Thank you in Korean formal – 감사합니다(kam-sa-ham-ni-da) or 고맙습니다 (gomabseubnida)

In Korean, there are multiple expressions of gratitude Like this 

Thank you in Korean slang  -감사 (gahm-sa)

Thank you in Korean while texting – ㄱㅅ

Even so, if you are a tourist or even a newbie to learning Korean, it is okay to learn only two expressions: the standard formal form 감사합니다(kam-sa-ham-ni-da) and the informal 고마워 (gomawo).

It is enough to give thanks to anyone in Korea.

If you want to know in detail, here’s a complete guide on “how to say thank you” in Korean in formal, informal, and polite situations. 

You’ll also learn how to go beyond 감사합니다 (kam-sa-ham-ni-da) and thank like a native speaker would with examples and exercises.

10 Alternative Ways to Say “beautiful” in KOREAN 

• You are more pretty-너가 더 예뻐 
• You are pretty-이쁘시네요 
• So pretty- 너무 예뻐요
• I am pretty-나는 예쁘다
• You never look ugly-당신은 항상 아름다워요
• Suzy, I’m attracted to you” -씨한테 끌려요.
• you are more beautiful than the photos-사진보다 실물이 더 미인이시네요
• Your eyes are so beautiful-눈이 너무 아름답습니다
• You are so cute-당신은 너무 귀여워요.
• you are beautiful person-미인이시네요 
• I love you in Korean-사랑해요
• I like you in Korean-좋아해요
• You are gorgeous-너는 아주 멋져
• You ae so cool-너무 멋있어요!
• you are more handsome than the photos-사진보다 실물이 더 미남이시네요
• You are so hot-당신은 너무 뜨거워 
• You look nice-멋있어 보여요
• why are you so pretty-웰케 예쁘세요?
• He’s handsome-잘생겼어
• I can’t take my eyes off you-제가 눈을 못 뗐어요.j
• You don’t look beautiful : 넌 아름답게 보이진 않는다.
• The teacher is good-looking- “선생님이 잘생겼어요.”
• You look beautiful : 넌 아름답게 보인다
• You’re no fun/You’re boring.- “너 재미없어

Synonyms for Beautiful in Korean

Just as there are multiple Korean words to say “beautiful,” there are many synonyms for “beautiful in Korean”.

So here are a few other common ways to say beautiful in Korean 

• pretty-예뻐요-yeppoyo
• magnificent -훌륭한-hulryunghan
• cute=귀여워요.gwiyowoyo
• good looking / handsome =잘생김 (jal·seng·gim) or 잘생겼다 
• Attractive = 매력적인(maeryeokjeogin)
• Young- 어리다-orida
• Lovely-사랑스러워- sarangseurowo
• pleasant=유쾌한(yukwaehan)
• Dazzling=눈부신(nunbusin)
• breathtaking=아슬 아슬한(aseul aseulhan)
•  gorgeous-멋있네-mosinne
• brilliant – 대단하다- daedanhada
• angelic/goddess=여신(yeo·sin)
• an attractive person = 매력적인 사

Example

Mm, what a lovely cake! 

음, 정말 멋진 케이크군!

The stage will be very bright and dazzling.

무대는 매우 밝고 눈부실 것입니다.

mudaeneun maeu balkko nunbusil kkosimnida

You’re the goddess of baseball games now.

너 이제 시구 여신이야.

He’s so charming

매력덩어리시죠

Maeryokttongorisijyo

All about Korea beauty standard |What do the Koean think is beautiful?

Before you start using all of the Korean words for pretty, it’s vital to know what the Korean think is pretty. 

Because Kpop stars are not the only ones who think that Korean beauty is just pretty faces and long legs.

Korean beauty standards prioritize a slender figure, small face, v-shaped jaw, pale skin, straight eyebrows, flawless skin, and large eyes.

The main objective of these standards is to look youthful and healthy.

The eyes have always been a major focus in Korean beauty standards. 

The small fatty deposits (aekgyo-sal) under the eyes are said to give a youthful appearance. 

Asian blepharoplasty is a surgery that creates double eyelids (upper eyelids with a crease) to create a more youthful appearance and make the eyes appear larger. 

Korean beauty standards are heavily influenced by the media, including television, movies, and pop stars.

Male beauty standards

Many people believe the South Korean beauty industry only focuses on women, but this is incorrect. 

Make-up isn’t really seen as gendered at all, and South Korea actually advertises make-up for men all the time.

According to recent statistics in South Korea, South Korean men are the biggest male spenders on skincare and beauty products in the last 10 years. 

A major reason for this standard is the Korean music culture known as K-Pop.

It is very common for Korean men to care about clear, smooth, and fair skin. 

It is also usual to dye and style hair on a regular basis.

The body shape for a guy is to look more androgynous, but not too muscular. 

Men should have sharp, stylish clothing that fits them nicely. Double eyelids are also becoming more common thanks to plastic surgery. 

Koreans prefer to have their nose higher while keeping facial features slim and small.

Most people, especially in Korea, follow this type of beauty standard, where they look for an innocent look, with small faces, big eyes, and slim bodies. 

Compared to Western beauty standards, South Koreans, in general, generally tend to prefer more cuter and feminine looks than people from the West.

Be prepared, the standards are very very high and you should not rely on these parameters to judge your self-worth.

In summary, it is quite diverse and is more focused on cultivating a balanced life, being confident, and using your uniqueness to your advantage.

Korean plastic surgery

One of the world’s top countries in the beauty industry in South Korea.

The Korean skincare philosophy emphasizes caring for the skin, preventing aging, and strengthening it.

Korea’s plastic surgeries and beauty treatments are well known and common for people to go for surgery.

In the west, plastic surgery is mostly about boobs and buttocks; in Korea, it’s all about the face.

In fact, boys are getting plastic faces too, and more and more guys are trying to resemble the male beauty models imposed by K-Pop and Korean dramas.

A more recent survey from Gallup Korea in 2015 determined that approximately one-third of South Korean women between 19 and 29 have claimed to have had plastic surgery, while some say as much as 50%.

Upper eyelid surgeries are the most frequently performed surgery for women.

Photo: Getty Images

.

A more recent survey from Gallup Korea in 2015 shows that nearly one-third of South Korean women between 19 and 29 had undergone plastic surgery.

While in the west plastic surgery is mostly about boobs and butts, in Korea it’s all about the face.

Double-eyelid surgery to make the eye look bigger, facial bone contouring (V-Face), V-line surgery, and cheekbone reduction surgeries are the most popular ones.

Many celebrities and K-pop stars are required to undergo these surgeries to trim their cheekbones, jaw, and chin to create an oval-shaped face. 

This kind of surgery can leave permanent damage.

Conclusion

Great job. You finally know how to say beautiful in Korean.

If you are ever unsure of how to say “pretty” in Korean, then it is best to stick with what you know and use 아름다워요 [ah-reum-da-wo-yo],예뻐요 [ye-ppeo-yo], 예뻐 [ye-ppeo].

All these words are widely used and accepted in Korea.

Well, it’s time for you to apply it in real life and improve your pronunciation.

So go out and next time you got a chance to say beautiful in Korean, just use any of these as much as you can. 

Koreans will understand you even if you got it wrong. 

Looking for more Korean phrases and when to use them you can check out our other articles on this topic.

Here are some recommended lessons:

• A Complete Guide to say Good Night In Korean
• The Common Ways To Say No In Korean
• Ready To Learn Korean ways to say Thank You In Korean?
• How To Say  Sorry In Korean
• How To Say Goodbye In Korean
• How Korean Celebrate New Year And Wish Happy New Year In Korean
• How to say happy birthday in Korean

Please like or share if you found this lesson useful. 

Got any questions in mind? Make sure to let us know by leaving a comment below and we will do our best to help you out!

See you in the next lesson. Have a good day.

Whether you want to understand basic words in K-pop or K-dramas, impress your Korean friends, or simply deepen your connection to the Korean culture, the Korean Language Starter Pack ensures that you quickly learn and retain the most commonly used Korean words and phrases today. Click here to learn more.

Hey everyone! For today’s phrase, we will be talking about how to say beautiful in Korean.

We did an earlier post on how to say pretty here, so you can check that one out as well.

Let’s start with the dictionary form for the word beautiful:

아름답다 (a-reum-dab-da)

The pronunciation might look difficult at first, but it’s actually quite easy. Like all verbs and adjectives, you must conjugate them in order to use them in sentences and phrases. The word beautiful is conjugated as 아름다워요 in standard polite form.

You can use this as a general way to say someone is beautiful or even scenery on a trip. Like English, this is typically used towards women. You would rarely hear a guy called beautiful.

The formal version of beautiful is 아름답습니다 (a-reum-dab-seum-ni-da). Like all formal versions of words and phrases, you would use this towards someone older or in professional settings, but it might sound kind of awkward so sticking to the standard form is probably best.

Finally, if you are really close to someone, you can just drop the ‘요’ and say 아름다워 (a-reum-da-weo). You can say this version to your wife or girlfriend.

Some Koreans also have names like 아름 which means ‘beauty’.

Finally, if you want to use this word to describe something, it changes to 아름다운. This is a basic grammar rule that you will learn as you study more, but for now, you can use this form to say something like:

아름다운 꽃 (a-reum-da-un kkot) = beautiful flowers

아름다운 하늘 (a-reum-da-un ha-neul) = beautiful sky

Example sentences:

와 그 여자는 너무 아름다워. (wa geu yeo-ja-neun neo-mu a-reum-da-weo) = Wow, that girl is so beautiful.

롯데타워에 전망이 진짜 아름다워 (lot-te-ta-weo-e jeon-mang-i jin-jja a-reum-da-weo) = The view from Lotte Tower is really beautiful.

Whether you want to understand basic words in K-pop or K-dramas, impress your Korean friends, or simply deepen your connection to the Korean culture, the Korean Language Starter Pack ensures that you quickly learn and retain the most commonly used Korean words and phrases today. Click here to learn more.

| March 6, 2015 | | Everyday Korean

Beautiful in Korean

In this lesson, we will take a look at how to say beautiful in Korean. There are some varieties to consider depending on if you’re talking to a friend, someone older etc., but they are all just different forms of the same word so if you learn one form, learning the others will be a piece of cake. The most common form is:

areumdawoyo (polite)

(in Hangul: 아름다워요)

This word can be use for both people and objects and is, just like in English, very similar in meaning to the word for “pretty” – yeppeoyo (예뻐요). Note that this is the polite form of the word and as such, you would mainly use it when:

• Talking to someone older than you.
• Talking to someone who is not a close friend.
• Talking to a group of people.
• You are not sure what form to use or don’t know their age.

Since the subject of the sentence is often dropped in Korean and the “you” part is implied, just saying areumdawoyo (아름다워요) is usually enough as long as it’s obvious what or who you are talking about. For example:

jeongmal areumdawoyo (정말 아름다워요).

= You / They / She are/is really beautiful.  *jeongmal (정말) means “really”

We strongly recommend beginners to practice Korean using the polite form in order to not insult anyone or come across as ignorant. With that said, most people are very tolerant and won’t care at all if you mess up the politeness levels, as long as they feel like you’re trying. For close friends and informal situations however, you should use the form:

areumdawo (informal/friendly)

(in Hangul: 아름다워)

As you can see, you simply drop the ‘yo’ (요) at the end and you’ve magically made the word proper for use in informal settings. The meaning is exactly the same, but you should be careful to only use this when:

• You are close friends with the person you’re talking to.
• You are talking to your siblings.
• The person you are talking to is obviously younger than you.

And in case you find yourself in a more formal situation, you should use:

areumdabsumnida (formal)

(in Hangul: 아름답습니다)

A lot of language schools will teach you formal Korean right from the start and then later move on to teaching different forms. Other than that, chances are you won’t need to use this form that much as a beginner. But you might still hear it in formal settings such as:

• Television news
• Debates
• Speeches
• Meetings

But how can I use it to modify a noun?

All the above forms are used at the end of a sentence to say “[subject] is beautiful.” For example:

kkochi areumdawoyo (꽃이 아름다워요).

= The flower is beautiful.

But suppose you want to to modify the noun and want to say “a beautiful flower”. In such case, you would have to use the form:

areumdaun + Noun

(in Hangul: 아름다운)

This conjugation can modify any noun, so if we wanted to describe our dear flower we would say:

areumdaun got (아름다운 꽃)

= (a) beautiful flower.

This should cover all the essentials. For those of you who already know some grammar and want to make your own conjugations, the dictionary form of this word is areumdapda (아름답다).

Please like or share if you found this lesson useful. And if you have any questions or something else on your mind, make sure to let us know by leaving a comment below and we will do our best to help you out!

And if you haven’t already done so already, check out our lesson on how to say “pretty“. Or why not learn how to tell a guy he’s handsome?

By: Kimchi Cloud

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