현실 복귀 (hyeonsil bokgwi) — Back to reality.
Lesson 31 in our Korean Slang series, adapted from Korean Your Teacher Doesn’t Teach You by Injin Hwang.
What 현실 복귀 means
Say that a holiday or relaxing break is over and ordinary responsibilities are returning. It works after a vacation, a long weekend, or even a pleasant lunch break. The phrase marks the moment ordinary responsibilities return.
A short conversation
A: 여행 끝났네.
B: 이제 현실 복귀야.
A: The trip's over.
B: Back to reality now.
Use it with care
A colloquial phrase rather than a new abbreviation. The expression is most natural with friends or in an informal setting unless the context suggests otherwise.
A neutral or polite alternative: 휴가가 끝나서 다시 일상으로 돌아왔어요.
The holiday ended, so I am returning to my routine.
Try it yourself
How would you say “Back to reality” after a trip?
Answer: 현실 복귀야. Read the Korean conversation aloud and try changing one detail to fit your own day.
Based on the author’s slang collection, with additional learning notes. AI-generated illustration created for this lesson. Browse the Korean Slang series.
Keep exploring Korean expressions in the Korean slang book on Amazon.
