Days of the Week in Korean: Complete Guide With Hangul, Pronunciation, and Origins

The Short Answer

The seven days of the week in Korean are 월요일 wol-yo-il, 화요일 hwa-yo-il, 수요일 su-yo-il, 목요일 mog-yo-il, 금요일 geum-yo-il, 토요일 to-yo-il, and 일요일 il-yo-il. Each day is named after a celestial body using Sino-Korean vocabulary, following the same ancient planetary system found in Japanese and Chinese.

Korean is spoken by approximately 82 million people worldwide, according to Ethnologue's 2024 data. The explosive global popularity of Korean culture (K-pop, K-dramas, Korean cinema, and Korean cuisine) has driven a massive surge in Korean language learning. The King Sejong Institute Foundation reported a record number of Korean language learners worldwide in recent years. The days of the week are among the first vocabulary items every learner encounters.

"The Korean weekday system beautifully illustrates how a single astronomical naming convention can travel across cultures while being faithfully preserved in each language's unique phonological system."

(Ho-min Sohn, The Korean Language, Cambridge University Press)

This guide covers all seven days with Hangul, romanization, etymology, grammar patterns, and cultural context.

All 7 Days at a Glance

Every day follows the same structure: element syllable + 요일 (yo-il). The suffix 요일 means "day of the week," combining 요 (曜, celestial influence) and 일 (日, day). Once you know the seven element syllables, the system is entirely predictable.

Celestial Origins: The Same System, Korean Sounds

Korean weekday names use Sino-Korean vocabulary (Korean pronunciations of Chinese characters) to express the same planetary system found in Japanese and in the Roman calendar. The seven celestial bodies (Sun, Moon, and five visible planets) form the backbone of the system.

월요일 (wol-yo-il)

월 (wol) is the Sino-Korean reading of 月, meaning "moon" or "month." Just as in Japanese (月曜日 getsu-yōbi) and English ("Monday" from "Moon's day"), Monday belongs to the moon. The word 월 appears throughout Korean: 정월 (jeong-wol, the first month of the lunar year), 월급 (wol-geup, monthly salary), and 월세 (wol-se, monthly rent).

Monday in South Korea is the start of the business workweek. The Korean expression 월요병 (wol-yo-byeong, literally "Monday sickness") captures the universal Monday blues, that familiar dread when the alarm goes off after a weekend.

화요일 (hwa-yo-il)

화 (hwa) is the Sino-Korean reading of 火, meaning "fire." Mars is called 화성 (hwa-seong, "fire star") in Korean. The fire element is associated with energy, passion, and action in the East Asian five-element system.

수요일 (su-yo-il)

수 (su) is the Sino-Korean reading of 水, meaning "water." Mercury is called 수성 (su-seong, "water star"). The water element represents fluidity, adaptability, and intelligence.

목요일 (mog-yo-il)

목 (mok/mog) is the Sino-Korean reading of 木, meaning "wood" or "tree." Jupiter is called 목성 (mok-seong, "wood star"). The wood element symbolizes growth, vitality, and spring.

Note the pronunciation: while the character is read as mok in isolation, in the compound 목요일 it is commonly pronounced mog-yo-il due to Korean phonological linking rules.

금요일 (geum-yo-il)

금 (geum) is the Sino-Korean reading of 金, meaning "gold" or "metal." Venus is called 금성 (geum-seong, "gold star"). The character 금 also means "money" in modern Korean (as in 현금 hyeon-geum, cash), leading to the same "money day" wordplay that exists in Japanese.

토요일 (to-yo-il)

토 (to) is the Sino-Korean reading of 土, meaning "earth" or "soil." Saturn is called 토성 (to-seong, "earth star"). The earth element represents stability, grounding, and the center.

일요일 (il-yo-il)

일 (il) is the Sino-Korean reading of 日, meaning "sun" or "day." This parallels both Japanese (日曜日) and English ("Sunday"). The character 일 is one of the most common in Korean, appearing in 일본 (il-bon, Japan, "origin of the sun"), 생일 (saeng-il, birthday), and 매일 (mae-il, every day).

Abbreviations: The Single-Syllable System

Korean speakers abbreviate days by dropping 요일 and using just the first syllable. These abbreviations are everywhere in Korean daily life.

You will see these single-syllable abbreviations on Korean calendars, subway schedules, TV listings, and store hours. On Korean calendars, Sunday (일) is typically printed in red and Saturday (토) in blue, with weekdays in black, the same color convention used in Japan.

Grammar: How to Use Days in Sentences

Korean grammar for days of the week is systematic and follows clear particle rules.

Saying "On [Day]", The 에 (e) Particle

To express "on" a particular day, add the time particle 에 (e) after the day name.

• 월요일에 회의가 있어요. (Wol-yo-il-e hoe-ui-ga iss-eo-yo.) = There is a meeting on Monday.
• 금요일에 파티에 갈 거예요. (Geum-yo-il-e pa-ti-e gal geo-ye-yo.) = I'm going to a party on Friday.

In casual speech, the 에 particle is frequently dropped:

• 토요일 같이 영화 볼래? (To-yo-il ga-chi yeong-hwa bol-lae?) = Want to watch a movie together on Saturday?

Asking "What Day?"

• 오늘 무슨 요일이에요? (O-neul mu-seun yo-il-i-e-yo?) = What day of the week is today?
• 오늘은 수요일이에요. (O-neul-eun su-yo-il-i-e-yo.) = Today is Wednesday.

"Every [Day]", 매주 (mae-ju)

Add 매주 (mae-ju, "every week") before the day:

• 매주 화요일에 한국어 수업이 있어요. (Mae-ju hwa-yo-il-e han-gug-eo su-eob-i iss-eo-yo.) = I have Korean class every Tuesday.
• 매주 금요일 저녁에 운동해요. (Mae-ju geum-yo-il jeo-nyeog-e un-dong-hae-yo.) = I exercise every Friday evening.

"Last" and "Next"

The Week Structure: Sunday Tradition, Monday Reality

Traditional Korean calendars start the week on Sunday, following the same convention as Japan and the United States. The order on a traditional Korean calendar reads: 일 월 화 수 목 금 토 (Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat).

However, the practical Korean workweek runs Monday through Friday. South Korea transitioned from a six-day to a five-day workweek between 2004 and 2011 (phased in by company size), and the standard Korean workweek is now 40 hours across five days. The Korean word for "weekday" is 평일 (pyeong-il), and "weekend" is 주말 (ju-mal, literally "week end").

South Korea's work culture has undergone significant reform. The government reduced the maximum weekly working hours from 68 to 52 in 2018, and there is ongoing cultural discussion about work-life balance (워라밸 wo-ra-bael, a Korean abbreviation of the English phrase).

Useful Phrases With Days of the Week

Months of the Year: The Numbered System

Like Japanese, Korean months follow a simple numbered pattern: number + 월 (wol, "month"). There are no unique month names to memorize.

Note the irregular pronunciations for June (유월 yu-wol, not yuk-wol) and October (시월 si-wol, not sip-wol). These are the only two months with pronunciation changes, caused by Korean phonological rules for easier articulation.

Korean dates use the format: year 년 + month 월 + day 일. For example, 2026년 3월 15일 (i-cheon-i-sip-yuk-nyeon sam-wol sib-o-il) is March 15, 2026.

Cultural Notes: How Days Shape Korean Life

The Korean Workweek Evolution

South Korea's relationship with the workweek has transformed dramatically. The country's rapid industrialization from the 1960s through the 1990s was built on long working hours, often six days a week. The shift to a five-day workweek (주5일제 ju-o-il-je) began in 2004 for large corporations and was fully implemented by 2011. According to the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS), average annual working hours have dropped noticeably but remain above the OECD average.

Weekend Culture: From 빨리빨리 to Rest

The Korean concept of 빨리빨리 (ppalli-ppalli, "quickly, quickly") defines the workweek pace. But weekends have become increasingly important for rest and recreation. Korea's weekend culture includes visiting 찜질방 (jjim-jil-bang, Korean spas), hiking (등산 deung-san is a national pastime), and enjoying Korean barbecue (고기 gogi) with friends and family.

Holidays and the Lunar Calendar

While Korea uses the standard Gregorian calendar for everyday purposes, major traditional holidays follow the lunar calendar (음력 eum-nyeok). Seollal (설날, Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (추석, Korean Thanksgiving) are the two biggest holidays, and their Gregorian dates shift each year. These holidays create extended weekends that Koreans use for family gatherings, ancestral rites (제사 je-sa), and travel.

Practice With Real Korean Content

Reading vocabulary lists builds your foundation, but hearing 월요일 and 금요일 in the flow of Korean conversation is what makes them stick. Korean dramas, variety shows, and films are filled with scheduling scenes and day-of-the-week vocabulary.

Wordy lets you watch Korean movies and shows with interactive subtitles. Tap any word to see its Hangul, romanization, and meaning instantly. Instead of memorizing vocabulary in isolation, you absorb it from authentic Korean dialogue with natural pronunciation and intonation.

For more Korean learning resources, explore our blog for guides on everything from greetings to the best movies for learning Korean. Visit our Korean learning page to start practicing today.