How to Introduce Yourself in Korean
10-Second Answer
A Korean self-introduction (자기소개, jagisogae) follows a short, predictable script: greet, state your name, add a detail or two (nationality, job, hobby), and close with a polite request for good relations — 잘 부탁드립니다. It's one of the most useful things to have memorized cold.
The Core Script
안녕하세요, 저는 마이클이에요.
annyeonghaseyo, jeoneun maikeurieyo.
Hello, I'm Michael.
은/는 topic marker + 이에요, both covered on their own pages.
저는 미국 사람이에요.
jeoneun miguk saramieyo.
I'm American.
[Country] 사람 — the standard pattern for nationality.
한국어를 공부하고 있어요.
hangugeoreul gongbuhago isseoyo.
I'm studying Korean.
잘 부탁드립니다.
jal butakdeurimnida.
Please treat me well / I look forward to working with you.
The standard polite closing line — no direct English equivalent, but always expected.
Full Example, Strung Together
안녕하세요, 저는 마이클이에요. 미국 사람이고, 한국어를 공부하고 있어요. 만나서 반갑습니다. 잘 부탁드립니다.
("Hello, I'm Michael. I'm American, and I'm studying Korean. Nice to meet you. Please treat me well.")
만나서 반갑습니다 ("nice to meet you") is another fixed phrase worth memorizing exactly as-is — 만나다 (to meet) + 반갑다 (glad/pleased).
Adding Optional Details
취미는 여행이에요.
chwimineun yeohaeng-ieyo.
My hobby is traveling.
회사원이에요.
hoesawon-ieyo.
I'm an office worker.
잘 부탁드려요.
jal butakdeuryeoyo.
Please treat me well.
A slightly less formal variant of 잘 부탁드립니다, still polite.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Skipping 잘 부탁드립니다
It has no clean English translation, so learners often leave it out — but it's an expected, near-mandatory closing line in Korean self-introductions.
Mistake #2 — Using casual endings in a first introduction
First meetings default to polite 존댓말 (이에요/예요, 습니다) — save casual forms for once a relationship is established, per the banmal/jondaemal rules.
Mini Quiz
1. What does 잘 부탁드립니다 mean, roughly?
2. How do you say "I'm American"?
3. What speech level should a first self-introduction generally use?
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Start today's study →Last updated: 2026-08-10 · Written and reviewed by a native Korean speaker.