Internet Korean (인터넷 용어) and text language feature heavy abbreviations, emoticons, and unique expressions developed in online communities, social media, and messaging apps.
Korean Keyboard Abbreviations
Initial Consonant Abbreviations
Using first consonants only:
- ㅇㅋ (오케이, OK)
- ㅈㅅ (죄송, sorry)
- ㄱㅅ (감사, thanks)
- ㅊㅋ (축하, congrats)
- ㅎㅇ (하이, hi)
- ㅂㅂ (바이바이, bye bye)
- ㄱㄱ (고고, go go)
- ㅁㄴ (모르는, don't know)
Common Full Abbreviations
Frequently used shortenings:
- ㅇㅇ (응응, yeah yeah)
- ㄴㄴ (노노, no no)
- ㅇㄷ (어디, where)
- ㅁㅊ (미쳤, crazy)
- ㅅㅂ (vulgar - avoid)
- ㄹㅇ (리얼, real)
- ㅈㄱㄴ (지금, now)
Number-Letter Combinations
Using Numbers
Number replacements:
- 7ㅏ (사랑, love - ㅅ looks like 7 upside down)
- 8ㅏ (사, person - ㅅ sounds like 사)
- ㅅㄱ (수고, good work)
Laughter Expressions
ㅋㅋㅋ (Kekeke)
Korean LOL:
- ㅋ (one laugh - meh)
- ㅋㅋ (chuckle)
- ㅋㅋㅋ (LOL)
- ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ (ROFL - more ㅋ = funnier)
Variations:
- ㅋㅋ큐ㅋㅋ (even more laughter)
- 크크크 (keukeukeuk)
- 킄ㅋㅋㅋ (kyaaaa + laugh)
ㅎㅎㅎ (Hehehe)
Softer laughter:
- ㅎ (soft smile)
- ㅎㅎ (hehe)
- ㅎㅎㅎ (hahaha)
Usually indicates:
- Politer laughter than ㅋㅋ
- Friendly, warm response
- Less intense humor
ㅉㅉ (Tsk tsk)
Disapproval sound:
- ㅉ (tsk)
- ㅉㅉ (tsk tsk - disapproval)
Emoticons (이모티콘)
Happy/Positive
Smiling faces:
- ^^ (smiling eyes)
- ^_^ (happy face)
- ^^;; (awkward smile)
- ^o^ (very happy)
- ^ㅁ^ (cheerful)
- ㅇㅅㅇ (cute face)
- ㅇㅂㅇ (another cute face)
Sad/Crying
Sad expressions:
- ㅠㅠ (crying eyes)
- ㅜㅜ (tears falling)
- ㅠ_ㅠ (crying face)
- ㅜ_ㅜ (sad crying)
- ㅠ.ㅠ (crying with period)
Angry/Annoyed
Upset expressions:
- ㅡㅡ (annoyed, unamused)
- -_- (same as above)
- ㅡ,.ㅡ (very annoyed)
- ㅂㄷㅂㄷ (shaking - 부들부들)
Surprised
Shock expressions:
- ㅇㅁㅇ (surprised mouth)
- ㅇ_ㅇ (wide eyes)
- O_O (shocked)
Common Acronyms
Daily Expressions
Everyday abbreviations:
- ㄱㅇㄷ (귀엽다, cute)
- ㅇㅈ (인정, agree)
- ㅇㄱㄹㅇ (이거레알, this is real)
- ㅈㄹ (지랄, nonsense - vulgar)
- ㄴㄱㅁ (니가 뭔데, who are you to say)
Internet Culture
Online-specific:
- ㅇㅎ (아하, aha)
- ㄷㄷ (덜덜, shivering)
- ㅁㅊ (미쳤, crazy)
- ㅇㄱㄹㅇ (이게 레알, this is real)
- ㅂㄷㅂㄷ (부들부들, trembling)
Konglish Internet Terms
English Borrowings
Common Konglish online:
- 굿 (good)
- 베리 굿 (very good)
- 노 (no)
- 예스 (yes)
- 오케이 / OK (okay)
- 쏘리 (sorry)
- 땡큐 (thank you)
- 와우 (wow)
Meme Language
Popular Memes
Viral expressions:
- 어쩔티비 (what TV - so what?)
- 저쩔티비 (counter to above)
- 실화냐 (is this real?)
- 미쳤다 (crazy/insane)
- 핵인싸 (nuclear insider - super popular)
Trends
Trending expressions:
- 갓생 (god-life - productive life)
- TMI (too much information)
- FLEX (showing off wealth)
- 취저 (취향 저격, hit your preference)
Text Message Shortcuts
Quick Responses
Fast replies:
- ㅇㅋ (okay)
- ㄱㄱ (go go)
- ㅇㅇ (yes yes)
- ㄴㄴ (no no)
- ㅁㄹ (몰라, don't know)
- ㄱㅊ (괜찮아, it's okay)
- ㅈㅅ (sorry)
Question Responses
Answer shortcuts:
- ㅇㅇ (응, yeah)
- ㄴㄴ (no)
- ㄱㄴ (가능, possible)
- ㅂㄱㄴ (불가능, impossible)
Typing Style Variations
Stretching
Elongating for emphasis:
- 진짜아아아 (really really)
- 좋아아아 (I liiike it)
- 아아아아 (ahhhh)
- 네에에 (yesss)
Repetition
Repeating for effect:
- ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ (lots of laughter)
- ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ (lots of crying)
- !!!!!! (multiple exclamation)
- ?????? (multiple question marks)
Online Gaming Terms
Gaming Abbreviations
Game-specific terms:
- ㄱㄱ (고고, go go - let's go)
- ㅅㅅ (수고, good work - gg)
- ㅃㅃ (바이바이, bye bye)
- ㅈㄴ (존나, extremely - vulgar)
- ㅎㅌ (하드캐리, hard carry)
Social Media Language
Hashtag Culture
Common hashtags patterns:
- #일상 (daily life)
- #맞팔 (follow back)
- #셀스타그램 (selfie + Instagram)
- #먹스타그램 (food + Instagram)
- #데일리룩 (daily look - OOTD)
Instagram Speak
IG-specific:
- 좋아요 (like)
- 맞팔 (mutual follow)
- 팔로우 (follow)
- 언팔 (unfollow)
Typing Quirks
Omitting Spaces
Run-on typing:
- 뭐해? → 뭐해
- 잘자 → 잘자
- 고마워 → 고마워
Using English Keyboard
Romanization:
- Haha (instead of ㅎㅎ)
- Lol (instead of ㅋㅋ)
Cute/Aegyo Typing
Cutesy Expressions
Baby talk online:
- 나나 (나, me - cutesy)
- 조아 (좋아, like - cutesy)
- 머거 (먹어, eat - cutesy)
- 자자 (자, sleep - cutesy)
Character Replacements
Cute alterations:
- ㅇ → o (using circle)
- ㅎ → h
- ㅋ → k
Forum/Community Language
Forum Abbreviations
Online community terms:
- ㄹㅇ (real)
- ㅇㅈ (agree)
- ㅇㅂㅇ (cute emoticon)
- ㄷㄷ (shocking)
Warning: Vulgar Abbreviations
Avoid these:
- ㅅㅂ (extremely vulgar)
- ㅄ (vulgar insult)
- ㅈㄹ (vulgar)
- Many consonant combinations can be vulgar - be cautious
Platform-Specific
KakaoTalk
Kakao-specific:
- Using stickers heavily
- ㅋㅋ more common than ㅎㅎ
- Voice messages prevalent
IG features:
- Heavy hashtag use
- #맞팔 culture
- Story replies
YouTube Comments
YT-specific:
- ㅋㅋㅋ common
- 킹받네 (annoying)
- 레전드 (legendary)
Mixed Language Typing
Korean + English
Code-switching:
- ㄱㅊ? OK? (Is it okay? OK?)
- Sorry ㅠㅠ (Sorry with crying)
- Thank you ㅎㅎ (Thank you hehe)
Common Mistakes
❌ Incorrect: Using ㅅㅂ casually
Extremely vulgar
✅ Correct: Avoid vulgar abbreviations
Use appropriate language
❌ Incorrect: Only using abbreviations with strangers
Too casual/rude
✅ Correct: Use full words with strangers
Show respect
❌ Incorrect: No spacing at all in serious messages
Hard to read
✅ Correct: Use proper spacing in important messages
Clear communication
Summary Table
| Type | Abbreviation | Full Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greeting | ㅎㅇ | 하이 | Hi |
| Thanks | ㄱㅅ | 감사 | Thanks |
| Sorry | ㅈㅅ | 죄송 | Sorry |
| Okay | ㅇㅋ | 오케이 | Okay |
| Laugh | ㅋㅋㅋ | 크크크 | LOL |
| Cry | ㅠㅠ | (tears) | Crying |
| Agreement | ㅇㅈ | 인정 | Agree |
| Yes | ㅇㅇ | 응응 | Yeah |
| No | ㄴㄴ | 노노 | No |
| Go | ㄱㄱ | 고고 | Let's go |