5 Ways to Say I Miss You in Korean
Written and reviewed by Jun and Jin, native Korean speakers
Published · How we write & review
After this page, you can tell someone you miss them with 보고 싶어요 (bogo sipeoyo) at the right politeness level.
10-second answer
How do you say I miss you in Korean?
The everyday phrase is 보고 싶어요 (bogo sipeoyo) — literally "I want to see you," which is how Korean expresses missing a person day to day. 그립다 (geuripda) exists too, but it's more literary/emotional, closer to English "I long for" — reach for 보고 싶어(요) unless you're being deliberately poetic.
Quick check — did that land?
1. What does 보고 싶어요 literally translate to?
그립다? You might think it simply means I miss someone.
The Full Spectrum
| Phrase | Formality / Tone | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| 보고 싶습니다 (bogo sipseumnida) | Formal | A message to someone senior, or a formal/professional context where warmth is still appropriate |
| 보고 싶어요 (bogo sipeoyo) | Polite-casual, the default | The single most common way to say it — texts to family, friends, a partner you're polite with |
| 보고 싶어 (bogo sipeo) | Casual (반말) | Close friends, family, or a partner — the version you'll hear constantly in K-dramas and K-pop lyrics |
| 많이 보고 싶어 (mani bogo sipeo) | Casual, emphatic | Adding 많이 ("a lot") to intensify — "I miss you so much" |
| 그리워요 / 그립다 (geuriwoyo / geuripda) | Literary, wistful | A deeper, more poetic "longing" — used for places, eras, or people in a reflective, emotional register |
See also: 사랑해 — I love you
The One Rule That Matters Most
보고 싶다 literally means "want to see," so it's used for people you can physically miss seeing — friends, family, a partner. 그립다 covers a broader, more abstract kind of missing (a place, a time period, a feeling) and shows up far more in song lyrics and writing than daily texts. If in doubt for a person, use 보고 싶어요.
Quick Examples
친구야, 보고 싶어!
chinguya, bogo sipeo!
Friend, I miss you!
Casual, affectionate — a very common text between close friends. Most people would use the friend's name instead; 친구야 (chinguya) isn't wrong, though. What matters is how the two of you usually call each other.
어렸을 때가 그리워요.
eoryeosseul ttaega geuriwoyo.
I miss when I was young.
그립다 used for a time period, not a person — shows its broader "longing" range.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Using 그립다 for someone you'll see again soon
그립다 leans wistful/literary — for an everyday "miss you" text to a friend, 보고 싶어(요) sounds far more natural.
Mistake #2 — Forgetting 보고 싶다 conjugates like an adjective
It's built from 보다 (to see) + -고 싶다 ("want to"), so it follows adjective-style conjugation, not a plain verb.
Mini Quiz
2. Which word is better for missing a time period or place, rather than a person you'll see soon?
3. How would you casually tell a close friend "I miss you so much"?
Related Knowledge
Learn Next
I Love You in Korean: The Full Spectrum
Missing someone and loving someone use the same casual/polite split — natural next step for relationship vocabulary.
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