Aircon in Korean Explained for Beginners

Aircon in Korean is a common term you'll hear in Korea, but what does it actually mean? In Korean, it's called "aircon" or "" (aekon), which is a direct translation of the English word.

The temperature control is a crucial part of any aircon system. You'll often hear Koreans asking for "low" or "" (no) to set the temperature lower.

In Korea, aircon units are often installed in apartments and offices, and are a standard feature in many modern buildings. I've personally experienced the relief of walking into a cool aircon space on a hot summer day.

To turn on the aircon, you'll often see a switch or a button labeled "" (aekon on).

You can choose from various modes to suit your needs.

To set the mode, look for the "운전 선택" or "Mode" button. This is usually where you'll find the operating settings.

You can select from different modes, including "냉방" for cooling, "제습" for dehumidifying, and "송풍" for fan or vent mode.

Related reading: Aircon Mode

If you prefer a more automatic experience, you can choose the "자동" mode.

In colder climates, you might prefer to use the "난방" mode for heating.

You can also switch between heating and cooling modes with the "냉난방" button.

Here are the main modes you can select:

Air flow control is a crucial aspect of using an aircon in Korean. You can adjust the direction of the air flow to suit your needs.

To set the blowing direction, you can choose from left-to-right or up-and-down. Simply select the option that suits your space.

The blowing direction can be customized to suit different areas of the room. For example, if you want to blow air from left to right, select the "풍향좌우" option.

If you prefer a more indirect blowing, you can choose the "건접바람" option, which usually points the air towards the ceiling.

Here are the different air flow direction options:

Temperature control on an aircon in Korean is quite straightforward. You can set the desired temperature using the "희망 / 희망온도" function, which stands for "Desired temperature".

To adjust the temperature, you'll need to navigate to the "온도조절" section, where you can choose to increase or decrease the temperature using the "올림" and "내림" buttons.

The temperature settings are displayed between two arrows, showing the current indoor temperature ("실내 / 실내온도") and the desired temperature. This makes it easy to see the difference and adjust accordingly.

If you want to switch between heating and cooling modes, you can use the "냉난방" button, which toggles between the two modes.

Here's a quick rundown of the temperature control options: