Directions In Korean: Unlock 4 Survival Ways

8 min readDec 3, 2021

Original blog post: https://ling-app.com/ko/directions-in-korean/

Today, Google Maps and GPS apps have changed the game for finding directions. But, learning about 방향 (Banghyang) directions in Korean is still important.

Wandering around the beautiful country of South Korea is a great experience. They have advanced transportation systems and organized traffic rules. But, even if you can travel around the country by just using their transportations such as bus, subway, and taxi, there is still a possibility of getting lost along the way. This is where learning about directions in Korean will come in handy.

So, brace yourself for a fun and free lesson about directions in Korean. If you also want to practice more, you can check Ling App.

What’s The Korean Word For Direction?

방향 (Banghyang)

The first vocabulary that you need to learn about Directions in Korean is of course the word “direction”. Koreans use the word 방향 (Banghyang) to say directions in Korean language.

How To Ask And Give Directions In Korean Language

Did you know that you don’t have to worry about learning the right tones when asking and giving directions in Korean language? This is because Korean is not a tonal language but, there is still a natural rhythm for the pronunciation of the words and phrases. You should also learn that you have to be polite, especially to elders and strangers, when you are talking. This is because Koreans have their politeness level, which they use when talking to people.

There are lots of ways to ask and give directions in Korean. It can be with the use of navigation words and phrases, cardinal directions, landmarks, and addresses. This will be further discussed below as we unfold the ways of giving and asking directions in Korean.

In short, if you want to learn how to ask and give directions in Korean, learn not just the words but also the right way to say them. If you’re a foreigner, it is always better to keep it formal and polite to avoid misunderstandings with the locals.

Ways On Giving And Asking Directions In Korean

If it is your first time, directions in Korea are really confusing. Not just the word or phrase to use but also the fact that you are approaching someone who’s a total stranger to you. But, luckily, there are locals, taxi drivers, and even security guards that are willing to help you out.

So, here are the different ways to ask and give directions in Korean. If you’re a total beginner, do not worry about understanding the Korean words in Hangul because Korean romanization and the English translation are available for each word.

1. Cardinal Directions

The first set of words that you’ll have to take note of about directions in Korean is the Cardinal Directions. I know compass and map are not really a trend nowadays because we already have Google Maps on our smartphones but it is still important to know about the Cardinal directions. The four cardinal directions are the four main compass directions: north, east, south, and west, which are frequently abbreviated as N, E, S, and W. Here are the Cardinal directions in Korean:

2. Road Opposites

Another most common way to give and ask directions in Korean is to use the road opposites. This is really helpful especially if you’re driving or riding a car. It is also helpful if you are walking on the street and you suddenly get lost. So, learn these road opposites and save them to your Korean vocabulary:

3. Landmarks

Identifying landmarks is definitely one of the most effective ways to locate a place. Landmarks will allow the person to see how far they’ve come. They’ll also let you know if the person is still on the path you recommended. Finally, landmarks will bring attention to each portion of the broader route they’re attempting to navigate. So, here are the most common landmarks that people usually use in giving and asking directions:

공항 (Gonghang) — Airport

Asking for directions to the airport is common among tourists. Because the airport is often surrounded by hotels and other go-to establishments for tourists, it is great to use it as a landmark. Here are some airports in South Korea:

인천국제공항역 incheongukjegonghangyeok — Incheon International Airport Station

김포공항역 gimpogonghangyeok — Gimpo Airport Station

양양국제공항 yang-yang-gugjegonghang Yangyang International Airport

제주국제공항 jejugugjegonghang Jeju International Airport

김해국제공항 gimhaegugjegonghang — Gimhae International Airport

전철역 (Jeoncheollyeok) — Subway Station

South Korea has amazing subway stations and they are everywhere. So, using the nearest subway station as a landmark is a big brain. If you have already stepped inside a subway or train station, you can easily travel to different places in South Korea. Learn the following stations in the Korean language because this might help you in your travel experience:

호텔 (Hotel) — Hotel

South Korea is also full of hotels ranging from luxurious down to simple ones. Because these hotels are mostly located on the main roads and big cities, it is often used as a landmark in giving directions. Check this list of hotels in Korea:

은행 (Eunhaeng) — Bank

Banks are also a good idea for landmarks too. Since there’s a lot of people who are having a transaction with a bank every day, bank owners place their bank’s inaccessible areas. These are the leading banks that you can find in South Korea as you visit their country.

은행 (Eunhaeng) — Bank

병원 (Byeongwon) — Hospital

Next are the hospitals. Emergencies may happen everywhere that’s why hospitals are located in places that are accessible to people and most people know where the hospitals are. This makes them a good landmark for asking and giving directions in Korean. Below are some of the hospitals in South Korea:

쇼핑몰 (Syopingmol) — Shopping mall

It’s impossible to visit South Korea without going to shopping malls. It is definitely one of the highlights of your trip since you also see them in K-dramas. Since South Korea has a lot of shopping malls, they are good as landmarks. Check out these shopping malls in South Korea:

지하상가 (Jihasangga) — Underground Shopping Mall

For OG K-pop and K-drama fans, underground shopping malls are heaven. You can shop for goods and merch for very cheap prices. This is the reason why they’re famous to people not just locals but also the foreigners whih=ch makes it a good landmark.

Other Landmarks In Korean

4. Korean Address

While watching K-dramas, have you noticed that there are only a few scenes where they show their addresses? It’s because Korean roads and streets did not even have names until a few years ago. This is really confusing for taxi drivers. In fact, taxi drivers are frequently unfamiliar with street names, and satellite navigation systems may direct you to the incorrect section of the street.

But, if you are really want to use your address or give it to somebody, you have to remember that Korean addresses have a pattern that is quite different from what you are used to in your country. In South Korea, they use the pattern city-district-major road — minor road-building.

Korean Words And Phrases Related To Directions

Now that you have learned the different ways to tell directions in Korean, let us now learn more words and phrases related to the topic. If you want to level up this lesson, you can visit Ling App.

Going To South Korea? Learn Korean Now!

Going to Korea without knowing some Korean words is like a soldier without a firearm. South Korea is truly an amazing place aside from being the home of K-pop idols and K-drama actors. So, why not level up your trip by learning Korean with Ling App by Simya solutions now?

Backed with linguistic research, Ling App has truly developed its features to provide a meaningful but fun language learning experience for learners. With the variety of topics, audio recordings from native speakers, English translations, romanizations, and spaced repetition, you’ll learn Korean in record time.

Do not wait for the time to pass without learning a new language. Start learning Korean now!