Stellup Career Guide

By the Hangling team at Stellup · Updated Oct 2026 · 4 min read Short answer It's mostly a friendly check-in, a bit like "How are you?", not a lunch invitation. Answer 네, 먹었습니다. 식사하셨어요? and ask it right back. It's 1:15, you're back at your desk, and your team lead walks by and says 밥 먹었어요? (bap meogeosseoyo?) "Did you eat?" You freeze for a second. Are they inviting you somewhere? Did you miss team lunch? Do they want a full report on your kimbap? Relax. In most cases, they just said hello. Today you'll learn what this question really means in a Korean office, and a short, friendly way to answer it. At a glance Situation Korean When to use English A senior asks after lunch 네, 먹었습니다. 식사하셨어요? ne, meogeotseumnida. siksahasyeosseoyo? Most of the time Yes, I did. Did you eat? You haven't eaten yet 아직이요. 이따 먹으려고요 ajigiyo. it...

Short answer Give one reason that fits only this company, connect it to something you've actually done, and say how you'd help. Open with ○○에 관심이 있어서 지원하게 되었습니다 , then keep the whole answer under a minute. You've just finished your 자기소개, and it went better than you expected. Then the interviewer leans back and asks: 우리 회사에 지원하신 이유가 뭔가요? "Why did you apply to our company?" It sounds like the easiest question in the room, and that's exactly why so many answers fall flat. "It's a big, stable company" or "I've always liked Korea" could be said about almost anywhere. Today you'll learn a simple three-step answer in Korean: one reason that only fits this company, one piece of proof from your own experience, and one line on how you'd help. At a glance Situation Korean When to use English Open with your reason ○○에 관심이 있어서 지원하게 되었습니다 First...

Short answer Check your contract first. Unless it says otherwise, notice generally takes about a month under the Civil Code. Then tell your manager privately, before anyone else, and say it as a decision: 고민 끝에 퇴사하기로 결정했습니다 . You signed the new offer last night. Or maybe you're heading home, or going back to school. Either way, one conversation is left, and it's the one you've been rehearsing in the shower: telling your team lead you're leaving. In English you might just say "I'm quitting." The Korean that pops into your head is probably 저 그만둘게요 , and that's exactly where it can go a little sideways. Today you'll learn how to say it calmly in Korean: ask for a private moment, say it as a decision, offer a last day, and promise a clean handover. At a glance Situation Korean When to use English Ask for a private moment 팀장님, 따로 말씀드릴 게 있는데 잠깐 시간 괜찮으세요? First, before anyone else hears There's something I'd like to talk to you about privately. Do...

It’s your first morning at a Korean office. You sit down, and the person next to you quietly slips off their shoes and steps into a pair of grey slides. Across the aisle, a team lead does the same. You look down at your leather shoes and wonder if you missed a memo. You didn’t. Office slippers are one of those habits nobody explains, because to everyone else it’s just normal. Today you’ll learn how the desk-slipper habit usually works, when to switch back to shoes, and the small verb mix-up that gives learners away: in Korean you 신다 shoes, you don’t 입다 them. At a glance Situation Korean When to use English Checking with a teammate 사무실에서 슬리퍼 신어도 괜찮을까요? First week, to a teammate or your buddy Is it okay to wear slippers in the office? Heading out to a meeting 외부 미팅이 있어서 신발 갈아 신고 올게요 Before you leave the floor I have an outside meeting, so I’ll go change my shoes. Called over to meet a guest 잠깐만요, 신발 갈아 신고 갈게요 When a visitor or client arrives One sec, I’ll change my shoes and come right...

It’s Tuesday afternoon, the report is due Wednesday, and you already know it isn’t going to happen. The numbers from another team only arrived this morning. You open the chat to your manager, type 늦어질 것 같아요 , and hover over send. That line is honest, but it hands your manager a problem with no shape. Late by an hour? By a week? What happens to Thursday’s meeting? Today you’ll learn how to ask for more time in Korean in a way that’s easy to say yes to: say it early, bring a specific new date, and offer something you can hand over now. At a glance Situation Korean When to use English Heads-up when you see the risk 말씀드릴 게 있는데요, ○○ 건 일정이 조금 빠듯할 것 같습니다 Before the due date, as soon as you know Quick heads-up: the timeline on ○○ looks a bit tight. Propose a new date 혹시 마감을 목요일까지 조정 가능할까요? When you know how much time you need Would it be possible to adjust the deadline to Thursday? Lighter version for a short delay 목요일 오전까지 드려도 괜찮을까요? When the new date is close Wo...

You wake up at 6:40 with a fever, a heavy head, and one thought: how do I tell my manager? You open the work chat, type "오늘 연차 쓰겠습니다," delete it, type it again, and just stare at the screen. Calling in sick is stressful in any language. In Korean, the extra worry is usually the wording — how polite to be, how much to explain, and whether to say 연차 at all. Today you’ll learn a calm morning message that leads with the constraint, names it as illness, and offers a next step. Every company handles sick days a little differently, so think of this as wording help, not HR rules. At a glance Situation Korean When to use English Can’t come in today 몸이 안 좋아서 오늘 출근이 어려울 것 같습니다 Morning message to your manager I’m not feeling well, so I don’t think I can come in today. Clarify it’s not annual leave 연차가 아니라 병가로 처리하고 싶습니다 If your team separates sick leave from annual leave I’d like to treat this as sick leave, not annual leave. Will update after the clinic 오전에 병원 다녀온 뒤 연락드리겠습니다 When you’ll ...

Your manager sends a quick message: "내일 회의 자료, 숫자 한 번만 다시 봐 주세요." You reply 알겠습니다 in two seconds and go back to your inbox. An hour later they write, "그래서 숫자 맞아요?" — and you realize they thought you’d already checked. Both replies feel like "got it." They don’t say the same thing. Today you’ll learn the difference between 알겠습니다 ("understood, I’ll do it") and 확인했습니다 ("I’ve looked at it, I’ve checked"), plus the in-between line for when you haven’t checked yet. At a glance Situation Korean When to use English Soft acknowledge / will do 알겠습니다 Default when you got the instruction Got it / Understood. Stronger receipt of an instruction 네, 알겠습니다 When you want a clear "I’ll follow" Yes, understood. You actually checked something 확인했습니다 After opening the file, calendar, or numbers I’ve checked / Confirmed. Still checking — will come back 확인해 보겠습니다 You’ll look and reply after I’ll check and see. Avoid as a fake "I checked"...

You ask if someone can take a look at your draft. They smile and say 한번 볼게요 . You walk back to your desk feeling relieved — until a week passes and nothing has moved. Were they lying? Usually not. In a lot of Korean offices, that line means something softer than a yes: “Got it. I’m parking this for now.” Today you’ll learn what 한번 볼게요 (and 한번 보겠습니다 ) often signals, how to hear the difference between a park and a promise, and what clearer closes sound like when you need a real answer. At a glance Situation Korean When to use English Soft park (often not a firm yes) 한번 볼게요 / 한번 보겠습니다 Acknowledge + hold — listen for what follows I’ll take a look. (often: got it, parking it) Park + promise a callback 한번 보고 말씀드릴게요. When you’re not ready to commit yet Let me take a look and get back to you. Clear close with a timeline 오늘 중으로 확인해서 말씀드리겠습니다. When you can actually check today I’ll check today and get back to you. Clear ownership 제가 하겠습니다. When you are taking the task I’ll do it. / I’ll take c...

You sent the ask on Monday. It’s Wednesday afternoon. The file is still sitting there, and every hour of silence makes a flat 빨리 답장 주세요 feel more tempting — and more dangerous. You don’t want to sound pushy. You also can’t wait forever. So what do you actually type? Today you’ll learn how to follow up politely in Korean when nobody replies: reference the prior ask, soften with 혹시 , and — when it helps — offer to make their reply easier. At a glance Situation Korean When to use English Soft chase after silence 지난번에 요청드린 ○○ 건, 혹시 확인 가능하실까요? Default follow-up — references the prior ask About the ○○ I asked earlier — would you be able to check it? Apologize, then ask for a reply 바쁘신데 죄송합니다만, 회신 부탁드려도 될까요? When you know they’re slammed Sorry to bother you when you’re busy — may I ask for a reply? Light status check 혹시 검토해 보셨을까요? Deck, draft, or proposal you already sent Have you had a chance to review it, by any chance? Offer to reduce their friction 제가 다시 정리해서 보내드릴까요? When the ask might h...

It’s 6:05 p.m. Your work is done, you’re mentally already on the subway — and your team lead is still typing, eyes on the monitor. Do you just stand up and walk out? Wait another twenty minutes so it doesn’t look strange? Say something on the way to the door — and if so, what? Today you’ll learn how leaving usually works when seniors are still at their desks, plus four short Korean lines that make the exit feel normal instead of awkward. At a glance Situation Korean When to use English Everyday leave while others are still working 먼저 들어가 보겠습니다. Your default on most days I’ll head out first. Adding a see-you to a manager 내일 뵙겠습니다. Right after the line above See you tomorrow. A slightly more formal goodbye 이만 퇴근하겠습니다. To a team lead, or in a quieter, formal office I’ll be leaving for the day now. Leaving while people are mid-task 먼저 실례하겠습니다. Passing a busy desk or slipping out of a room Excuse me for leaving first. There’s usually no rule — but there is a rhythm You may have heard that i...