Korean Dictionary
How to say "Designated Driver Service" in Korean
“Designated Driver Service” in Korean is 대리운전 (pronounced "daeri unjeon").
대리운전
daeri unjeon
Usage & Context
대리운전 is a unique Korean service where a professional driver comes to drive you and your car home after drinking. It is extremely popular in Korea given the strong drinking culture and strict drunk driving laws. Booking a 대리운전 driver is done through apps or by calling a designated phone number.
Example Sentence
술을 마셔서 대리운전을 불렀어요.
I drank alcohol so I called a designated driver service.
How to use 대리운전 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Designated Driver Service” is 대리운전, romanized as daeri unjeon.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
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 대리운전.
Pronunciation Guide
대 (dae) sounds like 'day' in English. 리 (ri) is like 'ree' in 'tree'. 운 (un) sounds like 'oon' in 'moon'. 전 (jeon) is like 'jun' in 'jungle' but with a softer 'j'. The stress is fairly even, with a slight emphasis on 'dae'.
More Example Sentences
A friend reminding another friend after a night out.
술 마셨으면 대리운전 불러야지.
If you drank, you should call a designated driver service.
Explaining how to use the service to a newcomer.
대리운전 앱으로 쉽게 기사님을 부를 수 있어요.
You can easily call a driver using a designated driver app.
Sharing a story about a recent outing.
어제 회식 끝나고 대리운전으로 집에 왔어요.
After the company dinner yesterday, I came home using a designated driver service.
Cultural Context
대리운전 is a quintessential Korean service, deeply integrated into the drinking culture. After a night of drinking, instead of taking a taxi, you can call a 대리운전 driver who will drive *your* car home for you. This service is incredibly popular and widely used, especially after company dinners (회식) or social gatherings. It's a practical solution that allows people to enjoy alcohol without risking 음주운전 (drunk driving), and it's easily accessible via phone calls or dedicated apps.
Editorial note
We review entries like 대리운전 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
대리운전 불러주세요.
Please call a designated driver service.
대리운전 기사님
Designated driver (polite form)
대리운전 요금
Designated driver service fee
Related Expressions
대리
daeri
proxy, substitute
운전
unjeon
driving
음주운전
eumju unjeon
drunk driving
택시
taekssi
taxi
More Transportation Words
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