Textbook이 물건을 환불하고 싶습니다i mul-geon-eul hwan-bul-ha-go sip-seup-ni-daI would like to return this item
돼요? (is it possible?) is your Swiss Army knife for any request in Korea. 환불 = refund, 교환 = exchange. Lead with the question, not the demand.
Return & exchange vocabulary
Textbook이 상품에 결함이 있습니다i sang-pum-e gyeol-ham-i it-seup-ni-daThis product has a defect
Real이거 사자마자 이렇게 됐어요i-geo sa-ja-ma-ja i-reoh-ge dwaet-eo-yoIt became like this right after I bought it🏷️ Any casual setting
Describing what happened is more natural (and effective) than using technical words. Show the problem, explain when it started, and let the staff draw their own conclusion.
The polite complaint formula
저기요, 이거 (problem)인데요...Excuse me, this (problem)...
교환 가능할까요?Would an exchange be possible?
다른 걸로 바꿔주실 수 있어요?Could you swap it for a different one?
환불 처리해주실 수 있나요?Could you process a refund?
Always frame returns as a question, not a demand. 가능할까요? and 주실 수 있나요? signal respect and get better results than 해주세요.
Korean return culture: most stores allow exchanges within 7 days with tags and receipt. Online shopping (especially Coupang) has much more generous return policies — 30 days, free returns, almost no questions asked. 쿠팡 changed the game.
Quick Quiz