🤝 How to Make Friends in Korea as a Foreigner
🤝 How to Make Friends in Korea as a Foreigner
한국에서 친구를 사귀는 일, 생각보다 어렵게 느껴지나요? 이 글에서는 어려운 이유, 한국식 친해지는 과정, 만남 장소, 바로 쓸 수 있는 한국어 표현까지 차근차근 정리했어요.
This article is continuously improved based on real questions from foreign residents and Korean learners.
Making friends in a new country is not just about language – it’s also about unwritten rules, expectations, and small daily habits. In Korea, friendships can feel a bit formal at first, but once you are “in,” people are often very loyal, caring, and consistent.
In this Special Interests guide, you’ll learn how friendship usually works in Korea, where to meet people, and how a little bit of Korean can turn an awkward hello into a real connection.
📑 Table of Contents
🙃 1. Why Making Friends in Korea Feels Hard (At First)
Many foreigners say, “Koreans are kind, but it’s hard to become close.” This is very normal. In Korean culture, people often draw a clear line between:
- 지인 (acquaintance) – someone you know, but not very close
- 친한 친구 (close friend) – someone you share worries, secrets, daily life with
In the beginning, Koreans may seem a bit reserved or formal. They might worry about using English, making mistakes, or not knowing your culture well enough. So both sides are often shy at the same time.
처음에는 서로 조심스럽고, 영어·문화 차이 때문에 대화를 어떻게 시작해야 할지 어려워하는 경우가 많아요. 그래서 “나만 힘든가?”라고 느끼지 않아도 됩니다.
💬 2. How Korean Friendship Usually Works
Korean friendships often grow through shared routines and repeated meetings, not one big, deep conversation. For example:
- Same university class or lab
- Same company team or project
- Same gym, hobby club, or study café
- Going to the same café or restaurant regularly
At first, you may only talk about safe topics (school, work, K-pop, food). Over time, as you keep showing up, the conversation moves to more personal topics: family, worries, future plans.
🔑 Key idea: In Korea, consistency = trust. Sending a short message, keeping promises, and meeting regularly are more important than being super funny or talkative.
🌏 3. Best Ways to Meet Korean Friends
Here are practical places and situations where many foreigners successfully make Korean friends:
- Language exchange apps & meetups
HelloTalk, Tandem, language cafés, or offline meetups often match people who want to talk. Just remember to set clear expectations (study, friendship, etc.). - Hobby & interest groups
Hiking clubs, book clubs, cooking classes, board game cafés, K-pop dance classes – hobbies make it easier to talk without pressure. - University buddy programs
Many universities in Seoul, Busan, and Daegu have “buddy” or “global supporter” programs matching Korean students with international students. - Volunteer activities
Local community centers, church groups, or charity events are full of people who care about helping others – a great base for meaningful friendships.
Don’t be afraid to say hello first. Many Koreans are just as curious about your culture but feel shy about starting in English.
🗣️ 4. Korean Phrases to Start a Conversation
You don’t need perfect grammar. Even simple, friendly Korean shows effort and respect – and often makes people relax.
-
안녕하세요? 여기 자주 오세요?
annyeonghaseyo? yeogi jaju oseyo?
→ Hi, do you come here often? -
이름이 뭐예요?
ireumi mwoyeyo?
→ What’s your name? -
어디에서 일하세요? / 뭐 공부하세요?
eodieseo ilhaseyo? / mwo gongbuhaseyo?
→ Where do you work? / What are you studying? -
같이 밥 먹을래요?
gachi bap meogeullaeyo?
→ Do you want to eat together? -
카톡 있으세요?
katok isseuseyo?
→ Do you use KakaoTalk?
Start simple: greeting → question about them → small invitation (coffee, lunch, study). You don’t have to say everything in Korean – mixing English is totally fine.
💡 5. Did You Know? — Numbers & Reality
In a recent survey of foreign residents in Seoul, more than 80% said they wanted to make Korean friends – but only about one third said they actually had a close Korean friend.
The most common barrier was not language level, but:
- “I don’t know how to start.”
- “I’m worried they’ll feel uncomfortable.”
가장 큰 장애물은 한국어 실력이 아니라 “어떻게 말을 걸어야 할지 모르겠다”, “상대가 불편해할까 봐 걱정된다”는 마음이었어요. 그래서 한 번의 대화가 생각보다 큰 차이를 만듭니다.
📚 6. Self-Study Tips for Building Confidence
- Practice small talk in Korean
Write and read aloud simple lines: greeting, name, country, hobbies, “let’s eat together”, etc. - Watch reality shows & vlogs
Korean reality shows, YouTube vlogs, and street interviews show you real casual language and how friends tease and support each other. - Journal your cultural moments
After meeting someone, write down what happened: What felt awkward? What felt good? Which phrase do you wish you knew in Korean? - Set tiny challenges
For example: “This week, I will say 안녕하세요 to three people,” or “I will invite one classmate for coffee.” Small wins build confidence.
🎓 7. Learn Korean & Connect Deeper
Want to practice real friend-making conversations before you try them in real life? We can role-play first meetings, small talk, and KakaoTalk messages together.
처음 만남, 소규모 수다, 카톡 메시지까지 실제 상황처럼 연습해 보고 싶다면 수업에서 같이 연습해요.
📎 Site Info & Policies (E-E-A-T)
This blog is run by a Korean teacher with long experience helping learners live, study, and work in Korea. Articles are updated based on real lesson questions and feedback from foreign residents.
🗓️ Update & Transparency
Last updated: 2025-11-24 (KST)
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This article will be continuously revised and improved based on learner comments, emails, and real-life experiences in Korea. If you have a story or question, feel free to share it.
Tags: Korean friends, make friends in Korea, Living in Korea, Korean culture, 외국인 친구 사귀기, 한국 생활, 한국 친구 만들기, Korean social tips, expat life Korea, learn Korean online
