What Does 대박 (Daebak) Mean in Korean?
Written and reviewed by Jun and Jin, native Korean speakers
Published · How we write & review
After this page, you can react with 대박 (daebak) to big news, good or bad, and know where it's too casual to say.
10-second answer
What does Daebak mean?
대박 (daebak) literally means a "jackpot" or "huge hit," but in everyday speech it's an exclamation: "Awesome!", "No way!", "Unbelievable!" It works for good news and shocking news alike — context decides the flavor.
Quick check — did that land?
1. Your friend says "나 시험 떨어졌어" (I failed the exam) and you reply "대박...". What are you expressing?
대박! It can mean awesome or shocked disbelief; your tone decides.
Quick Examples
대박! 콘서트 티켓 구했어!
daebak! konseoteu tiket guhaesseo!
No way! I got concert tickets!
그 영화 대박 났어요.
geu yeonghwa daebak nasseoyo.
That movie became a huge hit.
대박(이) 나다 = to hit the jackpot / become a big success.
헐, 대박... 진짜야?
heol, daebak... jinjjaya?
What... unbelievable... is that real?
Shocked-negative usage — not everything 대박 is good news.
Not sure whether to react with 헐 or 대박? See 헐 vs 대박.
See also: 진짜 (jinjja) — really?
The Three Faces of 대박
| Use | Feels like | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Amazed exclamation | "Awesome!" / "No way!" | 대박! 진짜 잘됐다! |
| Shocked exclamation | "Oh my god…" | 대박… 어떡해. |
| Noun: a big hit | "jackpot / smash hit" | 이 가게 대박 났어. |
Young speakers also use 대박 as an intensifier before adjectives — 대박 맛있어 ("insanely delicious") — very casual, very common.
Register: When Can You Say It?
대박 is casual slang. Perfect with friends, fine in variety shows and social media, out of place in a business meeting or with people you must speak formally to. There is no polite form — in formal settings people just describe the situation instead.
The same goes, even more strongly, for 미친 used as praise (미친 실력, "insane skill") — it's edgier than 대박 and strictly for friends.
Opposite concept: 쪽박 (jjokbak) — going bust, a total flop. 대박 나다 ↔ 쪽박 차다.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — "대박 only means awesome"
It's an all-purpose shock word. 대박 at bad news means "I can't believe this" — the tone carries the meaning.
Mistake #2 — Using it in formal speech
It's slang. Saying 대박 to your professor or in a job interview sounds off.
Mini Quiz
2 short questions — about 1 minute
2. What does 대박 나다 mean?
3. Where is 대박 appropriate?
Related Knowledge
Learn Next
대박 and 헐 are the two shock exclamations you'll hear constantly — and they stack: 헐 대박.
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