K-Drama Decoder › Korean words subtitles flatten
건배 (geonbae) meaning — and why Koreans turn away when they drink
건배 (geonbae) means: Cheers!
💬 Use it yourself: 자, 건배! (ja, guhn-beh!) — "Alright, cheers!" · 짠! (jjan!) — with friends. · 위하여! (wi-ha-yuh!) — at the work dinner.
⚡ You have watched this a hundred times: the younger person takes the glass in both hands, then turns their head away to drink. Nobody in the show ever explains why.
🔊 GUHN-beh
Actually: Cheers!
🎬 Scene: first round hits the table, glasses go up.
"자, 건배!" (ja, guhn-beh!) — "Alright — cheers!"
🎁 The full toolkit:
- 짠! (jjan) — the casual clink sound, used like "cheers!" among friends
- 원샷! (won-syat) — "one shot," i.e., bottoms up
- 위하여! (wi-ha-yuh) — "to [us]!" — the classic corporate-dinner toast
⚠️ The etiquette that will genuinely impress people: when an older person pours for you, hold your glass with both hands. When you drink in front of them, turn your head slightly away. Dramas show this constantly and Western viewers never register why. Turning away is a sign of respect: you don't drink face-to-face with someone older or senior to you.
Quick answers
What do Koreans say when they toast?
건배 (geonbae) means: Cheers!
How do you pronounce 건배?
GUHN-beh
Why do Koreans turn away when drinking?
Turning away is a sign of respect: you don't drink face-to-face with someone older or senior to you. The etiquette that will genuinely impress people: when an older person pours for you, hold your glass with both hands. When you drink in front of them, turn your head slightly away. Dramas show this constantly and Western viewers never register why.
It comes from Talk Like a K-Drama Lead — 75 Korean expressions with tappable audio, the scene each one comes from, and who you can safely say it to.
See the bookMore words: 대박 · 헐 · 진짜 · 어떡해 · 아이고 · 답답해 · 오빠 · 화이팅 · 잘 먹겠습니다 · 멍때리다 · 차애