밤샘각 (bamsaemgak) — Looks like an all-nighter.
Lesson 43 in our Korean Slang series, adapted from Korean Your Teacher Doesn’t Teach You by Injin Hwang.
What 밤샘각 means
Say that the remaining work makes staying up all night seem likely. 밤샘 means staying up all night; -각 in this slang use predicts that a situation looks likely. 밤샘각 often expresses a weary forecast, not a plan to celebrate.
A short conversation
A: 아직 많이 남았어?
B: 응, 오늘 밤샘각이야.
A: Still lots left?
B: Yes, looks like an all-nighter.
Use it with care
각 suggests a likely outcome. This is a complaint, not encouragement to skip sleep. The expression is most natural with friends or in an informal setting unless the context suggests otherwise.
A neutral or polite alternative: 오늘 밤 늦게까지 해야 할 것 같아요.
I think I will need to work late tonight.
Try it yourself
Does 밤샘각 describe a likely all-nighter or one already completed?
Answer: A likely all-nighter. 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.
