Korean Dictionary
How to say "In-app Purchase" in Korean
“In-app Purchase” in Korean is 인앱 구매 (pronounced "inaeop gumae").
인앱 구매
inaeop gumae
Usage & Context
Purchases made within a mobile app or game for additional content or currency. South Korea has one of the highest rates of in-app purchases globally, driven by popular mobile games and the gacha system.
Example Sentence
인앱 구매를 너무 많이 하지 않도록 주의하세요.
Be careful not to make too many in-app purchases.
How to use 인앱 구매 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “In-app Purchase” is 인앱 구매, romanized as inaeop gumae.
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 인앱 구매.
Pronunciation Guide
인앱 (inaeop) sounds like 'in-app', with the 'n' flowing into the 'ae' sound (like 'a' in 'cat'). 구매 (gumae) sounds like 'goo-may'. The pronunciation is very close to the English 'in-app' followed by the Korean word for 'purchase'.
More Example Sentences
Recommending a fair mobile game.
이 게임은 인앱 구매 없이도 충분히 즐길 수 있어요.
You can fully enjoy this game even without in-app purchases.
A parent discussing parental controls.
아이들이 인앱 구매를 못 하게 설정해 놨어요.
I've set it up so that children can't make in-app purchases.
Explaining how to unlock content in a game.
새로운 캐릭터를 얻으려면 인앱 구매를 해야 해요.
You have to make an in-app purchase to get the new character.
Cultural Context
South Korea is a global leader in mobile gaming, and '인앱 구매' is a deeply ingrained part of the ecosystem. The 'gacha' system (뽑기, ppopgi - lottery/draw) is particularly prevalent, where players spend money for a chance to acquire rare items or characters. This has led to significant revenue for game companies but also concerns about excessive spending, especially with the common slang term '현질' (hyeonjil), meaning 'spending real money in games'.
Editorial note
We review entries like 인앱 구매 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
인앱 구매 유도
encouraging in-app purchases
인앱 구매 내역
in-app purchase history
인앱 구매 제한
in-app purchase limit/restriction
Related Expressions
현질
hyeonjil
spending real money in games (slang)
부분 유료화
bubun yuryohwa
freemium model (lit. partial paid service)
아이템 구매
aitem gumae
item purchase
과금
gwageum
charging/billing (often used for in-game spending)
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