How to Say Happy New Year in Korean (새해 복 많이 받으세요 and 4 More)
Written and reviewed by Jun and Jin, native Korean speakers
Published · How we write & review
After this page, you can wish someone a happy new year in Korean, formally or casually, and know which New Year Koreans mean.
10-second answer
What does Happy New Year in Korean: 새해 복 많이 받으세요 mean?
The one phrase to know is 새해 복 많이 받으세요 (saehae bok mani badeuseyo) — literally "please receive a lot of luck in the new year." It works for anyone, and it's said twice: on January 1 and again at 설날 (Seollal), the lunar New Year. To friends it shortens to 새해 복 많이 받아 (saehae bok mani bada). The standard reply is the same phrase back, often with 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) in front.
Quick check — did that land?
1. What does 새해 복 많이 받으세요 literally mean?
새해 복 많이 받으세요! This is the standard New Year wish in Korea.
The Full Spectrum
| Phrase | Formality | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| 새해 복 많이 받으세요 (saehae bok mani badeuseyo) | Polite default | Anyone — coworkers, elders, shop staff, group chats |
| 새해 복 많이 받으십시오 (…badeusipsio) | Formal | Speeches, company emails, cards to seniors |
| 새해 복 많이 받아 (saehae bok mani bada) | Casual (반말) | Close friends, younger family |
| 해피 뉴 이어 (haepi nyu ieo) | Casual, playful | Texts and social posts around January 1 — the Konglish version, never for elders |
| 새해에도 건강하세요 (saehaeedo geonganghaseyo) | Polite, warm | 'Stay healthy in the new year too' — the follow-up line to parents and grandparents |
A note on spelling. The official romanization of 새해 복 많이 받으세요 is saehae bok mani badeuseyo, but you'll also see it written saehae bok manhi badeuseyo or saehae bok mani baduseyo. They're all the same phrase.
See also: 설날 — Korean Lunar New Year
Why It Means 'Receive Luck'
복 (bok) is fortune or blessing — the same 복 in 복권 (lottery ticket) and 행복 (happiness). Korean New Year wishes are framed as receiving it rather than 'having a happy one', which is why the verb is 받다 (to receive) in its honorific form 받으세요. At 설날, children perform 세배 (a deep New Year bow) to elders while saying exactly this phrase, and receive 세뱃돈 (New Year's money) in return — the phrase and the ritual go together, which is part of why it never sounds stiff.
Two New Years, one phrase
Koreans say it on January 1 (신정) and again on 설날 (lunar New Year, late January or February). If you only say it once, make it 설날 — that's the one with the family gathering.
On December 31, crowds gather in central Seoul to hear the Bosingak bell rung at midnight — see our walk through Jongno.
Quick Examples
새해 복 많이 받으세요! 올해도 잘 부탁드립니다.
saehae bok mani badeuseyo! olhaedo jal butakdeurimnida.
Happy New Year! Looking forward to working with you again this year.
The standard work greeting — the second sentence is the one coworkers add.
할머니, 새해 복 많이 받으시고 건강하세요.
halmeoni, saehae bok mani badeusigo geonganghaseyo.
Grandma, Happy New Year and stay healthy.
Joining the two wishes with -시고 is what you say while doing 세배.
야, 새해 복 많이 받아! 올해는 진짜 살 뺄 거야.
ya, saehae bok mani bada! olhaeneun jinjja sal ppael geoya.
Hey, Happy New Year! This year I'm really going to lose weight.
Casual form, followed by the inevitable resolution — see New Year's resolutions in Korean.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Translating 'happy' literally
행복한 새해 is understandable but not what people say. The set phrase is 새해 복 많이 받으세요.
Mistake #2 — 해피 뉴 이어 to elders
The Konglish version is for peers and posts. Older relatives and bosses get the full Korean phrase.
Mini Quiz
2. When do Koreans say it?
3. Which is the casual form for a close friend?
Related Knowledge
Learn Next
6 Ways to Say Congratulations in Korean
New Year wishes and congratulations share the same formality ladder — 축하 is the next set phrase to master.
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