Dictionary — Entry No. 0748
잘생겼어
handsome · adjective
잘생겼어
handsome
[jal-saeng-GYEO-sseo]
adjectivebeginner
Meaning
잘생겼어 means ‘he/you are handsome’ — literally ‘born well-formed’ or ‘well-made in appearance.’ It is the casual past-tense form used in everyday speech to describe masculine physical attractiveness. The base verb is 잘생기다, and 잘생겼어 is the standard spoken form.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
BTS’s V (Kim Taehyung) and Jin are among the most-searched 잘생긴 (handsome) people globally, and fan comments are flooded with 잘생겼어. The benchmark for 잘생긴 in K-Drama was arguably set by Gong Yoo in Goblin (도깨비) — his role became synonymous with the fantasy of the impossibly handsome, emotionally devastating Korean male lead.
Example Sentences
와, 저 남자 진짜 잘생겼어.
Wa, jeo namja jinjja jalsaenggyeosseo.
Wow, that guy is seriously handsome. (the most natural way to say this — 진짜 adds genuine emphasis)
잘생긴 거는 알겠는데 성격이 더 중요해.
Jalsaenggin geoneun algenneunde seonggyeogi deo jungyohae.
I know he’s handsome, but personality matters more. (잘생긴 = adjective form modifying a clause — the classic debate in every K-Drama)
오빠, 너무 잘생겼어요! 사진 같아요.
Oppa, neomu jalsaenggyeosseoyo! Sajin gatayo.
Oppa, you’re so handsome! You look like a photo. (사진 같다 = ‘looks like a photograph’ — a uniquely Korean compliment for someone with perfect, almost unreal visuals)
⚠️ Don’t use handsome when…
잘생겼어 is used for men — for women, use 예쁘다 (pretty) or 아름답다 (beautiful). Calling a woman 잘생겼어 is grammatically possible but sounds unusual and can be unintentionally odd. Also match speech level: 잘생겼어 is casual; use 잘생겼어요 with people you are not close to.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: Goblin (도깨비, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God) — Eun-tak first sees Kim Shin appear from a field of fire and gasps 잘생겼어, setting the tone for the entire romance.
- K-Pop: BTS — Butter
ℹ️ Editorial Note: The cultural context and example usage are for educational reference only. Artist names, song titles, and drama references are used descriptively to illustrate vocabulary in context. This content is AI-assisted and reviewed for accuracy. For official information, please refer to the respective artists’ or studios’ official channels.