Korean Dictionary
How to say "Customer" in Korean
“Customer” in Korean is 고객 (pronounced "gogaek").
고객
gogaek
Usage & Context
A person who purchases goods or services. Customer satisfaction in Korea is crucial for business success. Companies invest in customer service and loyalty programs.
Example Sentence
고객 만족도가 높습니다.
Customer satisfaction is high.
How to use 고객 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Customer” is 고객, romanized as gogaek.
Usage tip
Business Korean usually needs polite or formal endings, especially in emails, meetings, and customer situations.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 고객.
Pronunciation Guide
"고객" (gogaek) is pronounced "Go-gaek." "Go" is like the English word "go," and "gaek" rhymes with "sack" but with a 'g' sound at the beginning. The stress is fairly even on both syllables.
More Example Sentences
A customer service representative addressing a customer politely.
고객님의 의견을 경청하겠습니다.
We will listen carefully to our customer's opinions.
Explaining a loyalty program or promotion.
단골 고객에게는 특별 할인이 제공됩니다.
Special discounts are offered to regular customers.
Discussing business growth strategies.
새로운 고객을 유치하는 것이 중요해요.
It's important to attract new customers.
Cultural Context
"고객" is a cornerstone of Korean business culture, where customer satisfaction is paramount. You'll often hear "고객님" (gogaek-nim), adding the honorific '-님' to show respect, especially in service industries like retail, hospitality, and banking. This reflects the strong emphasis on politeness, high-quality service, and building trust with patrons, which is a hallmark of Korean customer relations.
Editorial note
We review business terms like 고객 for formality, so the example fits emails, meetings, or workplace conversations instead of casual speech.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
고객 만족
Customer satisfaction
고객 서비스
Customer service
고객센터
Customer center
Related Expressions
손님
sonnim
Guest, customer (often used in restaurants/shops)
소비자
sobija
Consumer
단골
dangol
Regular customer
거래처
georaecheo
Client, business partner (more B2B)
More Business Words
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