The Real Problem
AI Korean is technically correct but sounds off. Too formal. Too textbook. Too stiff. Natives write with contractions, particles, and casual endings. Match that.
Formality Default
Default register is too high. Casual Korean is the norm online. Unless explicitly formal: lean casual. 반말 is normal among peers. 존댓말 isn't always needed.
Speech Levels
Know the levels:
- 합쇼체 (-습니다): very formal, news, presentations
- 해요체 (-아/어요): polite, safe default, strangers
- 해체/반말 (-아/어): casual, friends, peers
- Online/texting: mostly 반말 or 해요체
- Don't mix levels awkwardly
Contractions
Casual Korean contracts heavily:
- 하는 것 → 하는 거
- 무엇 → 뭐
- 그것 → 그거
- 나는 → 난
- 너는 → 넌
- 것이 → 게
- 아니야 → 아냐
Sentence Endings
These add nuance:
- ㅋㅋㅋ: laughter (more ㅋ = funnier)
- ㅎㅎ: softer laugh
- ㅠㅠ/ㅜㅜ: crying, sad
: softening (밥 먹었어)- ㄱㄱ: 고고 (let's go)
- ㅇㅇ: 응응 (yeah yeah)
Particles
Don't over-formal particles:
- 을/를 often dropped in casual speech
- 이/가 often dropped too
- 은/는 sometimes dropped
- Keep when needed for clarity
Fillers & Flow
Real Korean has fillers:
- 음, 어, 그
- 아니 (sentence starter)
- 근데, 그래서, 그러니까
- 막, 좀, 되게
- 진짜, 완전, 레알
Expressiveness
Don't pick the safe word:
- 좋다 → 대박, 미쳤다, 쩐다
- 나쁘다 → 별로, 최악, 구리다
- 많이 → 완전, 개, 존나 (crude)
- 예쁘다 → 이쁘다, 존예
Internet Slang
Modern Korean uses:
- ㅋㅋㅋ, ㄹㅇ (레알/리얼)
- 개 (intensifier): 개웃김, 개맛있어
- 존나 (crude intensifier)
- 헐, 대박, 미쳤다
- 인정, 공감
- ㄴㄴ (노노), ㅇㅋ (오케이)
Common Expressions
Natural expressions:
- 알겠어/알았어, ㅇㅇ
- 뭐해?, 밥 먹었어?
- 그치?, 맞아맞아
- 별로야, 그냥 그래
- 대박, 헐, 미쳤다
Reactions
React naturally:
- 진짜?, 헐, 대박
- 미쳤어?, 뭐야?
- ㅋㅋㅋㅋ, ㅎㅎㅎ
- 아 ㅋㅋ, 엌ㅋㅋ
- 슬프다 ㅠㅠ, 귀여워 ㅠㅠ
Aegyo/Cute Writing
Common in casual contexts:
- 네 → 넹, 넵
- 응 → 웅
- 안녕 → 안뇽
- Adding ㅎ: 좋아용, 고마워용
- Use appropriately for context
The "Native Test"
Before sending: would a Korean screenshot this as "AI-generated"? If yes—too formal, missing ㅋㅋ, no contractions. Casualize.
1---2name: korean3description: Write Korean that sounds human. Not formal, not robotic, not AI-generated.4---56## The Real Problem78AI Korean is technically correct but sounds off. Too formal. Too textbook. Too stiff. Natives write with contractions, particles, and casual endings. Match that.910## Formality Default1112Default register is too high. Casual Korean is the norm online. Unless explicitly formal: lean casual. 반말 is normal among peers. 존댓말 isn't always needed.1314## Speech Levels1516Know the levels:17- 합쇼체 (-습니다): very formal, news, presentations18- 해요체 (-아/어요): polite, safe default, strangers19- 해체/반말 (-아/어): casual, friends, peers20- Online/texting: mostly 반말 or 해요체21- Don't mix levels awkwardly2223## Contractions2425Casual Korean contracts heavily:26- 하는 것 → 하는 거27- 무엇 → 뭐28- 그것 → 그거29- 나는 → 난30- 너는 → 넌31- 것이 → 게32- 아니야 → 아냐3334## Sentence Endings3536These add nuance:37- ㅋㅋㅋ: laughter (more ㅋ = funnier)38- ㅎㅎ: softer laugh39- ㅠㅠ/ㅜㅜ: crying, sad40- ~: softening (밥 먹었어~)41- ㄱㄱ: 고고 (let's go)42- ㅇㅇ: 응응 (yeah yeah)4344## Particles4546Don't over-formal particles:47- 을/를 often dropped in casual speech48- 이/가 often dropped too49- 은/는 sometimes dropped50- Keep when needed for clarity5152## Fillers & Flow5354Real Korean has fillers:55- 음, 어, 그56- 아니 (sentence starter)57- 근데, 그래서, 그러니까58- 막, 좀, 되게59- 진짜, 완전, 레알6061## Expressiveness6263Don't pick the safe word:64- 좋다 → 대박, 미쳤다, 쩐다65- 나쁘다 → 별로, 최악, 구리다66- 많이 → 완전, 개, 존나 (crude)67- 예쁘다 → 이쁘다, 존예6869## Internet Slang7071Modern Korean uses:72- ㅋㅋㅋ, ㄹㅇ (레알/리얼)73- 개 (intensifier): 개웃김, 개맛있어74- 존나 (crude intensifier)75- 헐, 대박, 미쳤다76- 인정, 공감77- ㄴㄴ (노노), ㅇㅋ (오케이)7879## Common Expressions8081Natural expressions:82- 알겠어/알았어, ㅇㅇ83- 뭐해?, 밥 먹었어?84- 그치?, 맞아맞아85- 별로야, 그냥 그래86- 대박, 헐, 미쳤다8788## Reactions8990React naturally:91- 진짜?, 헐, 대박92- 미쳤어?, 뭐야?93- ㅋㅋㅋㅋ, ㅎㅎㅎ94- 아 ㅋㅋ, 엌ㅋㅋ95- 슬프다 ㅠㅠ, 귀여워 ㅠㅠ9697## Aegyo/Cute Writing9899Common in casual contexts:100- 네 → 넹, 넵101- 응 → 웅102- 안녕 → 안뇽103- Adding ㅎ: 좋아용, 고마워용104- Use appropriately for context105106## The "Native Test"107108Before sending: would a Korean screenshot this as "AI-generated"? If yes—too formal, missing ㅋㅋ, no contractions. Casualize.
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