Dictionary — Entry No. 0324
안녕히 계세요
annyeonghi-gyeseyo · expression
안녕히 계세요
annyeonghi-gyeseyo
[ahn-NYUHNG-hee gyeh-SEH-yo]
expressionbeginner
Meaning
A formal farewell meaning ‘please stay well,’ spoken by the person who is leaving to whoever remains behind. It is the counterpart to 안녕히 가세요 (said to the departing person). The word 안녕히 means ‘peacefully’ and 계세요 is the honorific form of ‘to stay/remain.’
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
This phrase reflects the Korean cultural value of precise farewell etiquette — there are two distinct goodbyes depending on who is walking out the door, and mixing them up marks an outsider immediately. In K-Dramas like Crash Landing on You, juniors saying 안녕히 계세요 as they leave the office is a shorthand for respectful workplace hierarchy. The phrase resonates deeply with BTS fans because members bow and say it at the close of every concert, turning a formal goodbye into an emotionally charged ritual.
Example Sentences
선생님, 안녕히 계세요.
Seonsaengnim, annyeonghi gyeseyo.
Goodbye, teacher. (said by the student who is leaving — never the other way around)
저는 먼저 가겠습니다. 안녕히 계세요.
Jeoneun meonjeo gagetseumnida. Annyeonghi gyeseyo.
I’ll head out first. Goodbye. (formal workplace departure, signals you are the one leaving)
어머니, 안녕히 계세요. 다녀오겠습니다.
Eomeoni, annyeonghi gyeseyo. Danyeoogetseumnida.
Goodbye, Mother. I’ll be back. (classic Korean home-leaving ritual — the returning phrase pairs with this)
⚠️ Don’t use annyeonghi-gyeseyo when…
The single most common mistake: fans say 안녕히 계세요 to someone walking away — but you only say this when YOU are the one leaving. If they are leaving, say 안녕히 가세요. Also, never use this with close friends your own age; the casual 안녕 is expected, and 계세요 will sound awkwardly stiff.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: Crash Landing on You — Yoon Se-ri’s careful use of formal speech with North Korean villagers, including proper farewells, underscores how politeness levels signal respect and emotion across every scene.
- K-Pop: BTS — ‘Spring Day’ is traditionally the final song at their concerts, after which all members bow deeply and say 안녕히 계세요 to ARMY, making this formal farewell one of the most emotionally loaded moments in K-Pop fan culture.
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.