Korean Dictionary
How to say "Overtime" in Korean
“Overtime” in Korean is 야근 (pronounced "Yageun").
야근
Yageun
Usage & Context
Working late beyond regular hours. Korea is famous for its 야근 culture, though this is changing with younger generations who value 워라밸 (work-life balance). Being the first to leave the office is sometimes socially uncomfortable, even if work is done. 칼퇴근 (leaving exactly at quitting time) is seen as a sign of the times changing.
Example Sentence
요즘 매일 야근이에요. 몸이 너무 힘들어요.
I'm working overtime every day lately. My body is really exhausted.
How to use 야근 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Overtime” is 야근, romanized as Yageun.
Usage tip
Practice this word inside a full daily-life sentence, because particles and sentence endings make the Korean sound natural.
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 야근.
Pronunciation Guide
The first syllable, 야 (ya), sounds like 'yah' in 'yahoo'. The second syllable, 근 (geun), sounds like 'goon' in 'goon squad'. The stress is fairly even, but 'ya' might be slightly emphasized.
More Example Sentences
A colleague complaining about being tired after a late night at work.
어제 야근해서 너무 피곤해요.
I'm so tired because I worked overtime yesterday.
Someone expressing relief about a potentially lighter work week.
이번 주에는 야근이 없을 것 같아요.
I don't think I'll have overtime this week.
A friend asking about fair compensation for extra work hours.
야근 수당은 제대로 받고 있나요?
Are you getting paid properly for your overtime?
Cultural Context
Korea has a strong 'work hard' culture, and 야근 (overtime) has historically been very common, sometimes even expected. However, with younger generations prioritizing 워라밸 (work-life balance), the perception of 야근 is changing. 칼퇴근 (leaving exactly at quitting time) is becoming more accepted, though some workplaces still subtly pressure employees to stay late.
Editorial note
We review entries like 야근 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
야근이 많다
to have a lot of overtime
야근 싫어
I hate overtime
야근하다가 죽을 뻔
almost died from working overtime (exaggeration)
Related Expressions
야근하다
yageunhada
to work overtime
칼퇴근
kaltoegeun
leaving work exactly on time
워라밸
worabel
work-life balance (loanword from English)
초과근무
chogwageunmu
excessive work, overtime (more formal)
More Daily Life Words
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