Christmas in Korea brings sparkling lights, decorated storefronts, festive music, cozy cafés, and plenty of opportunities to share a cheerful holiday greeting. Whether you’re sending a Christmas card to a Korean friend, visiting South Korea during December, or simply learning festive phrases from around the world, knowing how to say “Merry Christmas” in Korean is surprisingly easy.
The most common expression will probably sound very familiar!
🎄 How Do You Say Merry Christmas in Korean?
The standard and most widely recognized way to say Merry Christmas in Korean is:
메리 크리스마스!
Romanization: Meri keuriseumaseu
Approximate pronunciation: meh-ree kuh-ree-suh-mah-suh
It means exactly what you might expect:
Merry Christmas!
The Korean phrase 메리 크리스마스 is essentially the English expression “Merry Christmas” adapted to Korean pronunciation and written in Hangul, the Korean alphabet.
So if you already know how to say “Merry Christmas” in English, learning the Korean version is pleasantly straightforward.
If you enjoy discovering festive greetings from other cultures, you can find Korean alongside dozens of other languages in our guide to Merry Christmas in 100 Languages.
🇰🇷 Breaking Down 메리 크리스마스
Here is the phrase divided into its Korean syllables:
메리 — meri
Merry
크리스마스 — keuriseumaseu
Christmas
Put them together:
메리 크리스마스!
Korean pronunciation naturally adapts English words to sounds that fit the Korean language. That is why “Christmas” becomes the slightly longer-sounding keuriseumaseu.
You don’t need to pronounce every syllable perfectly to be understood. A friendly 메리 크리스마스! accompanied by a smile will get the message across beautifully.
❤️ Another Way to Wish Someone a Merry Christmas
You can also say:
즐거운 크리스마스 보내세요!
Romanization: Jeulgeoun keuriseumaseu bonaeseyo
This means approximately:
“Have a joyful Christmas!” or “Have a Merry Christmas!”
The word 즐거운 (jeulgeoun) means joyful, enjoyable, or pleasant, while 보내세요 (bonaeseyo) comes from a verb meaning “to spend” or “to pass” time.
Together, the phrase expresses the idea of wishing someone an enjoyable Christmas.
This version feels a little more like a complete holiday wish than simply saying 메리 크리스마스!
⛪ What Does 성탄절 Mean?
You may also encounter another Korean word for Christmas:
성탄절 — seongtanjeol
This is a more traditional and religiously connected term referring to Christmas or the celebration of Christ’s birth.
For example:
즐거운 성탄절 보내세요!
Jeulgeoun seongtanjeol bonaeseyo
This can be translated as:
“Have a joyful Christmas!”
In everyday modern conversation, however, 크리스마스 (keuriseumaseu) is extremely familiar and easy to use.
🎅 Useful Korean Christmas Phrases
Once you’ve mastered 메리 크리스마스, you can add a few more Korean holiday expressions to your vocabulary.
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 메리 크리스마스! | Meri keuriseumaseu! | Merry Christmas! |
| 즐거운 크리스마스 보내세요! | Jeulgeoun keuriseumaseu bonaeseyo! | Have a Merry Christmas! |
| 즐거운 성탄절 보내세요! | Jeulgeoun seongtanjeol bonaeseyo! | Have a joyful Christmas! |
| 새해 복 많이 받으세요! | Saehae bok mani badeuseyo! | Happy New Year! / May you receive lots of blessings in the New Year! |
| 행복한 크리스마스 보내세요! | Haengbokhan keuriseumaseu bonaeseyo! | Have a happy Christmas! |
You certainly don’t have to learn all of them. If you remember just one phrase, make it:
메리 크리스마스!
🎁 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Korean
Want to send a slightly longer message on a Christmas card?
Try:
메리 크리스마스! 새해 복 많이 받으세요!
Romanization:
Meri keuriseumaseu! Saehae bok mani badeuseyo!
Meaning:
Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!
The New Year’s expression 새해 복 많이 받으세요 is particularly useful to know.
Rather than being a literal translation of the English words “Happy New Year,” it expresses a wish that the other person will receive plenty of 복 (bok) — good fortune or blessings — during the coming year.
It makes a wonderfully warm seasonal message.
💌 What to Write in a Korean Christmas Card
For a simple Christmas card, you could write:
메리 크리스마스!
For something warmer:
즐거운 크리스마스 보내세요!
And for a Christmas and New Year card:
메리 크리스마스! 새해 복 많이 받으세요!
You could also combine Korean and English:
메리 크리스마스! Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Even if the rest of your card is written in English, including a Korean greeting can make your message feel especially thoughtful.
🎄 Is Christmas Celebrated in South Korea?
Yes. Christmas is celebrated in South Korea, and December 25 is a national public holiday. Christmas trees, lights, seasonal displays, Christmas music, and festive decorations can be seen in cities during the holiday season.
Seoul in particular can become spectacularly decorated during December, with department stores, shopping areas, public spaces, cafés, and seasonal attractions embracing Christmas lights and elaborate displays.
Christmas in Korea can have different meanings for different people. For Korean Christians, it is an important religious celebration. For others, the holiday can be a more secular occasion associated with decorations, gift-giving, shopping, dining, winter outings, and spending time with someone special.
That combination gives Christmas in South Korea its own distinctive character.
✨ Christmas Lights in Korea
One of the most noticeable parts of the Korean Christmas season is the abundance of lights.
Major shopping districts and department stores often create ambitious seasonal displays, while Christmas trees, illuminated streets, winter festivals, and Christmas markets add to the festive atmosphere.
If you’re visiting Seoul in December, simply walking through major commercial districts after dark can feel like a Christmas attraction in itself.
Korea isn’t the only East Asian country to put its own spin on the holiday. You can also explore Christmas in China or discover the distinctive traditions described in Does Japan Celebrate Christmas?.
🌟 Korean Christmas Greeting Cheat Sheet
If you only want the essentials, save these three:
Merry Christmas:
메리 크리스마스!
Meri keuriseumaseu!
Have a Merry Christmas:
즐거운 크리스마스 보내세요!
Jeulgeoun keuriseumaseu bonaeseyo!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year:
메리 크리스마스! 새해 복 많이 받으세요!
Meri keuriseumaseu! Saehae bok mani badeuseyo!
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say Merry Christmas in Korean?
The most common expression is:
메리 크리스마스!
It is romanized as meri keuriseumaseu and is the Korean adaptation of the English greeting “Merry Christmas.”
How do you pronounce Merry Christmas in Korean?
메리 크리스마스 is approximately pronounced:
meh-ree kuh-ree-suh-mah-suh
The standard romanization is meri keuriseumaseu.
What does 메리 크리스마스 mean?
메리 크리스마스 means Merry Christmas. It is an English-derived expression written using Korean Hangul.
What is the Korean word for Christmas?
The everyday word for Christmas is:
크리스마스 — keuriseumaseu
You may also encounter:
성탄절 — seongtanjeol
which is a more traditional term associated particularly with the Christian celebration of Christ’s birth.
How do you say Happy New Year in Korean?
A very common New Year’s greeting is:
새해 복 많이 받으세요!
Saehae bok mani badeuseyo!
It expresses the wish that someone will receive lots of good fortune or blessings in the New Year.
Is Christmas a holiday in South Korea?
Yes. December 25 is a national public holiday in South Korea.
Can I write 메리 크리스마스 in a Christmas card?
Absolutely. 메리 크리스마스! is a natural, easily recognized greeting for Christmas cards, text messages, social media posts, gift tags, and casual holiday wishes.
❤️ Share Some Korean Christmas Cheer
Learning how to say Merry Christmas in Korean couldn’t be much easier:
메리 크리스마스!
Meri keuriseumaseu!
It may sound familiar, but seeing the greeting written in beautiful Korean Hangul gives it a character all its own.
Whether you’re sending a message to Korean friends, preparing for a December trip to Seoul, learning Korean, or simply collecting festive greetings from around the world, 메리 크리스마스 is a lovely little phrase to add to your Christmas vocabulary.
And when January approaches, don’t forget:
새해 복 많이 받으세요!
Happy New Year!
🔗 Related Articles
- Merry Christmas in 100 Languages
- Does Japan Celebrate Christmas? A Fascinating Cultural Journey
- Christmas in China: A Cultural Tapestry of East Meets West
- How to Say Merry Christmas in Tagalog
- How to Say Merry Christmas in Switzerland
📚 Sources
- Korea Tourism Organization — Public Holidays in Korea
- Korea.net — Celebrating Christmas in Korea as an American Expat
- Korea.net — Merry Xmas, Seoul! 7 Prime Spots to Capture Holiday Mood
- Korea Tourism Organization — Merry Early Christmas at Korea’s Department Stores
- Korea Tourism Organization — Korea Winter Festivals
