Korean Sports Vocabulary — Gym, Soccer, Baseball & Popular Sports

<h2>Korea, a Country of Passionate Sports Fans</h2> <p>Before coming to Korea, I thought Koreans were mainly into K-Pop, K-Dramas, and video games. Big mistake. Korea is a country of obsessive athletes. Gyms are open 24/7, baseball fills 25,000-seat stadiums multiple times a week, and when Korea plays soccer, the entire country stops.</p> <p>After 12 years in Seoul, I've been infected too. I hit the gym 4 times a week, I support the Doosan Bears in baseball, and I survived the 2026 World Cup finals in the streets of Seoul. Here's the essential sports vocabulary.</p> <h2>General Sports Vocabulary</h2> <ul> <li><strong>운동 (un-dong)</strong> — Sports / Exercise</li> <li><strong>선수 (seon-su)</strong> — Player / Athlete</li> <li><strong>[경기](/en/dictionary/%EA%B2%BD%EA%B8%B0) (gyeong-gi)</strong> — Match / Game</li> <li><strong>팀 (tim)</strong> — Team</li> <li><strong>코치 (ko-chi)</strong> — Coach</li> <li><strong>[감독](/en/dictionary/%EA%B0%90%EB%8F%85) (gam-dok)</strong> — Manager / Director</li> <li><strong>심판 (sim-pan)</strong> — Referee / Umpire</li> <li><strong>우승 (u-seung)</strong> — Championship / Victory</li> <li><strong>점수 (jeom-su)</strong> — Score / Points</li> <li><strong>[경기장](/en/dictionary/%EA%B2%BD%EA%B8%B0%EC%9E%A5) (gyeong-gi-jang)</strong> — Stadium</li> </ul> <h2>Baseball — 야구 (ya-gu), Korea's King of Sports</h2> <p>If soccer is king in Europe, baseball is king in Korea. The KBO (Korean Baseball Organization) is followed with delirious passion. Games are a party: organized chants, cheerleaders, unlimited food and beer in the stands.</p> <ul> <li><strong>야구 (ya-gu)</strong> — Baseball</li> <li><strong>타자 (ta-ja)</strong> — Batter</li> <li><strong>투수 (tu-su)</strong> — Pitcher</li> <li><strong>포수 (po-su)</strong> — Catcher</li> <li><strong>홈런 (hom-reon)</strong> — Home run</li> <li><strong>안타 (an-ta)</strong> — Hit</li> <li><strong>삼진 (sam-jin)</strong> — Strikeout</li> <li><strong>이닝 (i-ning)</strong> — Inning</li> </ul> <p>The 10 KBO teams (with their cities): Doosan Bears (Seoul), LG Twins (Seoul), Kiwoom Heroes (Seoul), Samsung Lions (Daegu), Lotte Giants ([Busan](/en/blog/busan-beginner-guide)), NC Dinos (Changwon), KT Wiz (Suwon), Kia Tigers (Gwangju), SSG Landers (Incheon), Hanwha Eagles (Daejeon).</p> <h2>Soccer — 축구 (chuk-gu)</h2> <ul> <li><strong>축구 (chuk-gu)</strong> — Soccer / Football</li> <li><strong>골 (gol)</strong> — Goal</li> <li><strong>골키퍼 (gol-ki-peo)</strong> — Goalkeeper</li> <li><strong>공격수 (gong-gyeok-su)</strong> — Forward / Striker</li> <li><strong>수비수 (su-bi-su)</strong> — Defender</li> <li><strong>미드필더 (mi-deu-pil-deo)</strong> — Midfielder</li> <li><strong>패스 (pae-seu)</strong> — Pass</li> <li><strong>슛 (syut)</strong> — Shot</li> <li><strong>프리킥 (peu-ri-kik)</strong> — Free kick</li> <li><strong>페널티킥 (pe-neol-ti-kik)</strong> — Penalty kick</li> </ul> <p>Korea has a special relationship with soccer since the 2002 World Cup (semi-finalist!). Son Heung-min (손흥민) is a national legend — everyone affectionately calls him 쏜이 (Ssoni).</p> <h2>The Gym — 헬스장 (hel-seu-jang)</h2> <ul> <li><strong>헬스 (hel-seu)</strong> — Fitness / Weight training (from "health")</li> <li><strong>헬스장 (hel-seu-jang)</strong> — Gym</li> <li><strong>PT (pi-ti)</strong> — Personal training (everyone does PT in Korea!)</li> <li><strong>트레이너 (teu-re-i-neo)</strong> — Personal trainer</li> <li><strong>런닝머신 (reon-ning-meo-sin)</strong> — Treadmill</li> <li><strong>덤벨 (deom-bel)</strong> — Dumbbell</li> <li><strong>벤치프레스 (ben-chi-peu-re-seu)</strong> — Bench press</li> <li><strong>스쿼트 (seu-kwo-teu)</strong> — Squat</li> <li><strong>유산소 운동 (yu-san-so un-dong)</strong> — Cardio</li> <li><strong>근력 운동 (geun-ryeok un-dong)</strong> — Weight training</li> <li><strong>스트레칭 (seu-teu-re-ching)</strong> — Stretching</li> </ul> <p>Korean gym culture is intense. Gyms are open 24/7, personal training (PT) is practically mandatory for beginners, and Koreans take their physique very seriously. Prices are reasonable: expect 50,000 to 80,000 won per month ($35-55).</p> <h2>Other Popular Sports</h2> <ul> <li><strong>농구 (nong-gu)</strong> — Basketball</li> <li><strong>배구 (bae-gu)</strong> — Volleyball</li> <li><strong>수영 (su-yeong)</strong> — Swimming</li> <li><strong>달리기 (dal-li-gi)</strong> — Running</li> <li><strong>등산 (deung-san)</strong> — Hiking (THE national sport for over-50s!)</li> <li><strong>태권도 (tae-gwon-do)</strong> — Taekwondo</li> <li><strong>골프 (gol-peu)</strong> — Golf (extremely popular in Korea)</li> <li><strong>배드민턴 (bae-deu-min-teon)</strong> — Badminton</li> <li><strong>탁구 (tak-gu)</strong> — Table tennis</li> <li><strong>볼링 (bol-ling)</strong> — Bowling</li> <li><strong>스키 (seu-ki)</strong> — Skiing</li> <li><strong>스케이트 (seu-ke-i-teu)</strong> — Ice skating</li> </ul> <p>등산 (hiking) deserves special mention. Koreans are crazy about hiking. Every weekend, the mountains around Seoul (Bukhansan, Dobongsan, Gwanaksan) are packed with hikers equipped as if for Everest, even for a 2-hour walk.</p> <h2>Cheering Vocabulary — 응원 (eung-won)</h2> <ul> <li><strong>화이팅! (hwa-i-ting!)</strong> — Let's go! / You can do it! (the universal Korean cheer)</li> <li><strong>이겨라! (i-gyeo-ra!)</strong> — Win!</li> <li><strong>대한민국! (dae-han-min-guk!)</strong> — Republic of Korea! (chanted at international games)</li> <li><strong>짝짝짝! (jjak-jjak-jjak!)</strong> — Clap clap clap!</li> <li><strong>잘해! (jal-hae!)</strong> — Good job! / Do well!</li> <li><strong>아자아자! (a-ja-a-ja!)</strong> — Go go!</li> </ul> <h2>Sports Expressions in Daily Life</h2> <ul> <li><strong>운동 갈래? (un-dong gal-lae?)</strong> — Want to go work out?</li> <li><strong>오늘 경기 봤어? (o-neul gyeong-gi bwass-eo?)</strong> — Did you watch the game today?</li> <li><strong>몇 대 몇이야? (myeot dae myeoch-i-ya?)</strong> — What's the score?</li> <li><strong>이겼어! (i-gyeoss-eo!)</strong> — We won!</li> <li><strong>졌어... (jyeoss-eo...)</strong> — We lost...</li> </ul> <h2>Ready to Talk Sports in Korean?</h2> <p>Sports are a fantastic way to connect with Koreans. On Seonsaengnim, you can [learn Korean](/en/korean) through K-Pop, structured courses, and a teacher available 24/7. <a href="/en/signup">Create your account</a> and go beyond [basic vocabulary](/en/korean/100-essential-words)!</p>