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Korean Titles and Forms of Address: A Field Guide for Newcomers

Tap through each step to learn how to address people appropriately in Korean, from the office to the corner store.

  1. 사원 Β· λŒ€λ¦¬ Β· κ³Όμž₯ Β· λΆ€μž₯: the workplace title ladder

    Korean offices typically use a rank ladder β€” from entry-level 사원 up through λŒ€λ¦¬, κ³Όμž₯, μ°¨μž₯, to λΆ€μž₯ β€” and colleagues are addressed by "surname plus title" rather than by first name, so a manager named Kim who holds the κ³Όμž₯ rank is simply called "Kim-gwajang."

  2. '-λ‹˜', the honorific suffix that upgrades almost any title

    Attaching -λ‹˜ to a title or role makes it more respectful, turning κ³Όμž₯ into κ³Όμž₯λ‹˜, or 고객 ("customer") into κ³ κ°λ‹˜. When you don't know someone's exact title, defaulting to μ„ μƒλ‹˜ is a safe, polite fallback.

  3. μ„ μƒλ‹˜: the universal polite title for a stranger

    Though it literally translates as "teacher," μ„ μƒλ‹˜ works as a respectful, all-purpose way to address any unfamiliar adult regardless of their actual occupation β€” the rough equivalent of addressing someone as "sir" or "ma'am," but slightly warmer.

  4. 사μž₯λ‹˜: calling someone "boss" as a courtesy

    At a small shop, restaurant, or business, 사μž₯λ‹˜ ("boss" or "owner") is used freely as a polite title for the person running the place, whether or not they are literally the owner, since it signals respect for their role rather than confirming their job title.

  5. 이λͺ¨ Β· μ‚Όμ΄Œ: borrowing family words for strangers

    At many restaurants and markets, customers call an older woman working there 이λͺ¨ ("aunt") and an older man μ‚Όμ΄Œ ("uncle") even with no blood relation, as a warm, informal alternative to a more distant, formal title.

  6. 였빠 Β· μ–Έλ‹ˆ Β· ν˜• Β· λˆ„λ‚˜: sibling terms for close friends

    These words literally mean "older brother" or "older sister," with the exact word depending on the speaker's own gender, but close friends who are a bit older are frequently addressed this way too, so hearing them does not necessarily mean the people involved are related.

  7. Matching the title to the relationship

    The right choice depends on the other person's age, position, and how close you are. When in doubt, the safest defaults are μ„ μƒλ‹˜ for someone whose role you don't know, and "surname plus -λ‹˜" once you do.

Why Korean address terms feel more complicated than a name

Names alone are used less often in Korean than in many other languages β€” using someone's bare first name, especially toward an older or higher-ranked person, can sound overly familiar or even disrespectful, which is exactly why titles and role-based address carry so much of the social weight that a first name would carry elsewhere.

Titles are shifting toward flatter workplaces

A growing number of companies, especially startups and tech firms, have dropped the traditional rank ladder altogether in favor of addressing everyone as "first name plus -λ‹˜," a deliberate move to flatten hierarchy and encourage more open communication between junior and senior staff.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it rude to just use someone's name without any title?

Toward a peer or someone younger who you're on close terms with, using a bare first name is usually fine, but doing the same toward someone clearly older or in a senior position is generally seen as too casual, so pairing the name with a title or an honorific suffix is the safer default.

What should I do if a workplace has no formal title system?

Companies without a traditional rank ladder typically default to "first name plus -λ‹˜" for everyone regardless of seniority, a pattern that has become increasingly common as more workplaces adopt a flatter, less hierarchical address style.