What does 노래방 (noraebang) mean?
- 노래방noraebang
Karaoke room
Fine in most situations
노래방 (noraebang) means a karaoke room, a place where you rent a private room by the hour to sing with friends. It is one of the most popular ways to hang out in Korea, from students to coworkers.
Where it comes from
노래 means "song" and 방 means "room", so it is literally "song room".
How to use 노래방
Unlike bar karaoke in many countries, a 노래방 gives your group its own room with a screen, microphones and often tambourines. The machine may give you a score after each song, which can get very competitive.
It is a classic 2차 (second round) after dinner or a company 회식. 코인노래방 (coin karaoke) offers tiny booths where you pay per song, popular for singing alone or in pairs.
The word is standard Korean and fine anywhere. 노래방 가자! is an easy way to invite friends.
Examples
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Inviting friends after dinner
Choosing songs with a friend
Suggesting the next stop to coworkers
Other ways to say it
| Korean | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|
| 노래방 가자 | Let's go to karaoke | Casual invitation. |
| 코인노래방 | Coin karaoke | Small booths, pay per song. |
| 2차 | Second round | The next stop after dinner, often 노래방. |
| 노래 부르다 | To sing a song | The verb you need there. |
Questions learners ask
What is a noraebang?
A Korean karaoke room. You rent a private room with friends and pay by the hour, or per song at coin karaoke.
Is noraebang the same as karaoke?
Basically yes, but a 노래방 gives each group its own private room instead of singing in front of a whole bar.
What is a coin noraebang?
A 코인노래방 has small booths where you pay per song, great for singing alone or with one friend.