NOW

In Korea, “service” can mean “on the house”

At a Korean restaurant, the word seobiseu — borrowed from English “service” — may refer to a complimentary dish or drink. It can also describe a discount or an extra item offered free of charge.

WHAT YOU MAY HEAR

A server might bring an extra dish and say ‘서비스예요.’ In that setting, it means ‘This is on the house.’

A KOREAN ENGLISH TWIST

The meaning comes from how the word is used in Korean. Depending on the situation, ‘complimentary extra’ or ‘discount’ may be a better translation than ‘service.’

Sources & context

2026-09-18

krdict.korean.go.kr ↗