When a friend shares a selfie they think is terrible, especially one taken at a fun place like a park, and jokes about it, knowing how to respond in Korean can keep the mood light and friendly. This guide provides various Korean phrases to react playfully or reassuringly when your friend makes fun of their own bad selfie.
Table Of Content
Core Expression
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Expression: 괜찮은데?
Pronunciation: gwaen-chan-eun-de?
Meaning: It looks fine? / It’s okay? (Used informally to gently disagree with someone’s negative self-assessment, implying it’s not as bad as they think)
Playful Responses
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Expression: ㅋㅋㅋ 너 진짜 웃겨.
Pronunciation: keu-keu-keu neo jin-jja ut-gyeo.
Meaning: LOL, you’re really funny. -
Expression: 인정! 이건 좀 웃기다.
Pronunciation: in-jeong! i-geon jom ut-gi-da.
Meaning: Agreed! This one is a bit funny. -
Expression: 다음엔 내가 찍어줄게.
Pronunciation: da-eum-en nae-ga jjik-eo-jul-ge.
Meaning: I’ll take the picture for you next time. -
Expression: 이 사진 완전 엽사네!
Pronunciation: i sa-jin wan-jeon yeop-sa-ne!
Meaning: This picture is totally a funny/ugly pic! (Slang; use carefully based on friendship level) -
Expression: 표정이 왜 그래?
Pronunciation: pyo-jeong-i wae geu-rae?
Meaning: What’s with that facial expression? -
Expression: 그래도 추억이잖아.
Pronunciation: geu-rae-do chu-eok-i-jan-a.
Meaning: But still, it’s a memory, isn’t it? -
Expression: 공원 배경이 살렸다.
Pronunciation: gong-won bae-gyeong-i sal-lyeot-da.
Meaning: The park background saved it. (Joking) -
Expression: 너 스스로 디스하는 거야?
Pronunciation: neo seu-seu-ro di-seu-ha-neun geo-ya?
Meaning: Are you dissing yourself? (Using Konglish ‘diss’) -
Expression: 이 정도면 양호하지.
Pronunciation: i jeong-do-myeon yang-ho-ha-ji.
Meaning: It’s pretty decent, considering. / It’s acceptable at this level. -
Expression: 못생김 필터 꼈어?
Pronunciation: mot-saeng-gim pil-teo kkyeoss-eo?
Meaning: Did you use an ugly filter? (Joking) -
Expression: 이게 B컷 매력이지.
Pronunciation: i-ge bi-keot mae-ryeok-i-ji.
Meaning: This is the charm of a B-cut (outtake photo). -
Expression: 나름 느낌 있는데?
Pronunciation: na-reum neu-kkim it-neun-de?
Meaning: It has its own vibe, though? / It’s got a certain feel to it?
Reassuring Responses
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Expression: 아니야, 괜찮아 보여.
Pronunciation: a-ni-ya, gwaen-chan-a bo-yeo.
Meaning: No, it looks fine. -
Expression: 실물이 훨씬 나아.
Pronunciation: sil-mul-i hwol-ssin na-a.
Meaning: You look much better in person. -
Expression: 에이, 왜 그래~ 예쁘기만 한데.
Pronunciation: e-i, wae geu-rae~ ye-ppeu-gi-man han-de.
Meaning: Hey, come on~ You look nothing but pretty. -
Expression: 사진이 이상하게 나온 거지.
Pronunciation: sa-jin-i i-sang-ha-ge na-on geo-ji.
Meaning: The photo just came out weird, that’s all. -
Expression: 분위기는 좋은데?
Pronunciation: bun-wi-gi-neun jo-eun-de?
Meaning: The atmosphere/vibe is good though? -
Expression: 나는 이 사진 마음에 들어.
Pronunciation: na-neun i sa-jin ma-eum-e deul-eo.
Meaning: I like this picture. -
Expression: 자연스러워서 좋은데?
Pronunciation: ja-yeon-seu-reo-wo-seo jo-eun-de?
Meaning: It looks natural, so it’s good? -
Expression: 너무 자책하지 마.
Pronunciation: neo-mu ja-chaek-ha-ji ma.
Meaning: Don’t blame yourself too much. / Don’t be so hard on yourself. -
Expression: 원래 사진은 실물 못 담아.
Pronunciation: won-rae sa-jin-eun sil-mul mot dam-a.
Meaning: Photos never capture how someone really looks anyway. -
Expression: 다른 사진은 잘 나왔잖아.
Pronunciation: da-reun sa-jin-eun jal na-wat-jan-a.
Meaning: Your other pictures came out well, didn’t they? -
Expression: 이런 사진도 있어야 재밌지.
Pronunciation: i-reon sa-jin-do iss-eo-ya jae-mit-ji.
Meaning: It’s fun to have pictures like this too. -
Expression: 신경 쓰지 마. 귀여워.
Pronunciation: sin-gyeong sseu-ji ma. gwi-yeo-wo.
Meaning: Don’t worry about it. It’s cute.
Related Park and Photo Vocabulary
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Expression: 공원
Pronunciation: gong-won
Meaning: Park -
Expression: 셀카 / 셀피
Pronunciation: sel-ka / sel-pi
Meaning: Selfie -
Expression: 사진 찍다
Pronunciation: sa-jin jjik-da
Meaning: To take a picture -
Expression: 엽사
Pronunciation: yeop-sa
Meaning: Funny/ugly picture (slang, short for 엽기 사진 – yeop-gi sa-jin) -
Expression: 배경
Pronunciation: bae-gyeong
Meaning: Background -
Expression: 표정
Pronunciation: pyo-jeong
Meaning: Facial expression -
Expression: 웃기다
Pronunciation: ut-gi-da
Meaning: To be funny -
Expression: 이상하다
Pronunciation: i-sang-ha-da
Meaning: To be strange/weird -
Expression: 괜찮다
Pronunciation: gwaen-chan-ta
Meaning: To be okay/fine -
Expression: 추억
Pronunciation: chu-eok
Meaning: Memory -
Expression: 친구
Pronunciation: chin-gu
Meaning: Friend -
Expression: 농담
Pronunciation: nong-dam
Meaning: Joke
Cultural Tips
Self-deprecating humor is quite common among Korean friends. When someone jokes about their own “bad” selfie, they might be fishing for compliments, genuinely finding it funny, or simply trying to be relatable. Your response can shape the mood.
While joining in the joke lightly can be fun (이건 좀 웃기다 – i-geon jom ut-gi-da), directly agreeing it’s terrible (응, 진짜 못 나왔다 – eung, jin-jja mot na-wat-da – “Yeah, it came out really bad”) might be perceived as harsh, even if they started it. It’s often safer to offer mild reassurance or deflect.
Using slang like 엽사 (yeop-sa) indicates closeness and informality. Ensure your friendship is at a level where this kind of teasing is comfortable before using it.
A common strategy is to compliment something else in the photo, like the park background (배경 예쁘다 – bae-gyeong ye-ppeu-da) or the memory itself (그래도 추억이잖아 – geu-rae-do chu-eok-i-jan-a). This acknowledges the photo positively without directly commenting on their appearance if you feel unsure.
Ultimately, maintaining a positive and harmonious atmosphere (분위기 – bun-wi-gi) is key in Korean social interactions. Choose a response that feels genuine to you and appropriate for your relationship with the friend.
Real Conversation Example
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Situation: Two friends, Minji and Sora, are looking at photos on Minji’s phone from their recent trip to Seoul Forest park. Minji stops at a selfie she took near the deer enclosure.
Roles: A = Minji (took the selfie), B = Sora (friend) -
Expression: A: 이 사진 봐봐. 서울숲에서 찍은 건데 완전 망했어. ㅋㅋㅋ 내 표정 너무 이상하지 않아?
Pronunciation: i sa-jin bwa-bwa. seo-ul-sup-e-seo jjik-eun geon-de wan-jeon mang-haess-eo. keu-keu-keu nae pyo-jeong neo-mu i-sang-ha-ji an-a?
Meaning: A: Look at this picture. I took it at Seoul Forest, but it’s a complete fail. LOL. Isn’t my expression super weird? -
Expression: B: 어디? 음… 괜찮은데? 왜 망했다고 생각해?
Pronunciation: eo-di? eum… gwaen-chan-eun-de? wae mang-haet-da-go saeng-gak-hae?
Meaning: B: Where? Hmm… It looks fine? Why do you think it’s a fail? -
Expression: A: 눈 반쯤 감기고 입 벌리고 있잖아. 거의 엽사 수준이야.
Pronunciation: nun ban-jjeum gam-gi-go ip beol-li-go it-jan-a. geo-ui yeop-sa su-jun-i-ya.
Meaning: A: My eyes are half-closed and my mouth is open. It’s almost at the level of a funny/ugly pic. -
Expression: B: 에이, 아니야~ 그냥 좀 웃기게 나온 거지. 자연스러워서 좋은데? 그리고 뒤에 사슴 나온 거 귀엽다!
Pronunciation: e-i, a-ni-ya~ geu-nyang jom ut-gi-ge na-on geo-ji. ja-yeon-seu-reo-wo-seo jo-eun-de? geu-ri-go dwi-e sa-seum na-on geo gwi-yeop-da!
Meaning: B: Hey, no~ It just came out a bit funny. It looks natural, so it’s good? And the deer in the background is cute! -
Expression: A: 그런가? 사슴 때문에 살았네. ㅋㅋ 다음엔 소라 네가 찍어줘.
Pronunciation: geu-reon-ga? sa-seum ttae-mun-e sar-at-ne. keu-keu da-eum-en so-ra ne-ga jjik-eo-jwo.
Meaning: A: You think so? The deer saved it then. ㅋㅋ Next time, Sora, you take the picture. -
Expression: B: 알았어~ 걱정 마. 넌 실물이 훨씬 예쁘니까 괜찮아!
Pronunciation: ar-ass-eo~ geok-jeong ma. neon sil-mul-i hwol-ssin ye-ppeu-ni-kka gwaen-chan-a!
Meaning: B: Okay~ Don’t worry. You look much prettier in person, so it’s fine!
Practice Tips
Understanding how to react in these everyday social situations is key to sounding natural in Korean! Try reading the conversation example aloud, switching roles with a friend or study partner~
Think about your own friends – how do they usually react to bad photos? Which of these phrases would fit best with your personality and your friendships? Practicing these responses will help you react quickly and smoothly in real conversations!
Don’t be afraid to use a mix of playful teasing and genuine reassurance. It’s all part of the fun of chatting with friends! Keep practicing, and you’ll handle these moments like a pro~!
