How to Use Korean Washing Machines

Filed as: How-To // Responses: 22

This is for all the expats living in Korea and trying to operate their Korean washing machines. We translated the buttons and we explained how to operate our washing machine in this video. No more shrunken sweaters! No more accidental pink shirts! We also drop some important hints on how to have soft and manageable hair…I mean….clothing. Really, here in Korea, you have to use fabric softener. For our first month here in Bucheon we didn’t use any, and our clothes and towels often had a funky smell to them, regardless of how much detergent we put in the machine. Fabric softener is the key. It’s optional in Canada, but absolutely necessary here.

The main operations:

표준 NORMAL WASH
합성 We don’t know what this means…help!
란제리 DELICATE
울 WOOL
손세탁 HAND WASH
헹굼 + 탈수 RINSE AND DRY

Self Timer:
배수 WATER SUPPLY (?)
예약 Make a RESERVATION (SLEEP TIMER)
예비세탁 SET TIMER
시간단축 REDUCE TIME and also STOP/ START

Extra cycles:
헹굼 RINSE
헹굼추가 ADD FABRIC SOFTENER AND RINSE
탈수안함 NO SPIN AND DRY
탈수 DRY
배수안함 NO WATER

Adjustments:
구김방 PREVENT WRINKLING
세탁온도 CHANGE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER
배수안 함 WATER SUPPLY (we don’t know what this means)
강 중 약 HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW

General Buttons:
동작/일시정지 PAUSE
버튼 잠김 PRESS DESIRED BUTTON
문 잠김 CLOSE LID
추기석택 ADDITIONAL SELECTION

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  • http://www.drivenbylove.weebly.com Jordan

    Hi! I just washed your washing machine video (my husband and I love your site, by the way), and I wanted to give you a couple of translations that someone gave us. These are the ones that you mentioned being unsure about: 참섬 is the Synthetic Fibers setting, 급속 is the Quick Wash setting (hence, the shorter time, as you mentioned in the video), 냉소 is the Cold Water setting, 탈수 does mean Spin Dry so that's what it means by dry, and 탈수안함 means No Spin. I have no idea about the Water Supply one. :-) Anyway, if somebody wouldn't have left us the translations, we would have been in big trouble! Hope this helps someone! :-)

    • eatyourkimchi

      Thanks! It helps lots!

  • leitch

    wow, i just moved in here yesterday and had trouble using the wishing machine. thanks you so much for this information!

    • http://www.eatyourkimchi.com Eatyourkimchi

      Sweet! Glad it worked out for you :D

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=714376507 Minsun Hong

    Hello! I am a Korean and live in Daejeon! I'm really impressed that you guys figured out how to use it by yourself….It reminds me of when I was in America for foreign exchange program…LOL Anyway I think I can help you with 합섬(it is not 합성. Can you see the difference between 합섬 and 합성?) 합섬 is same with 합성섬유. 합성(Synthetic) + 섬유(fabrics) = 합성섬유(Synthetic fabrics)!
    Yes, The word you found 합성 is "1. composition 2. Synthesis"

    Plus, there are couple meanings for 배수, and I think 배수 on washing machine is "drainage",not 'water supply'…! :D
    Anway I love your videos!!! Totally awesome!!! :D

    • http://www.eatyourkimchi.com Eatyourkimchi

      Thanks Minsun :D

  • Marcia

    Thanks so much for this video. Just one question. . .where do I put the bleach?

    • http://www.eatyourkimchi.com Eatyourkimchi

      Good question…I don't know. We never put in any bleach. Hmm….

      • Joon

        It goes into where you put your powder soap at. that's it! ^^).y

  • Bridget

    I’m pretty sure I’m a total idiot, insane, or bored to the point I am amused by ANYTHING. I’ve never been to Korea or used a Korean washing machine. Heck, I’ve never used an American one! Yet I was totally absorbed and fascinated with this video. Weird much?? Yeah….

  • SHAWol

    Bae Su (배수) means Drainage… it drains the water out if you need to cancel the wash i think

  • Angela

    Once again, you two are my heroes. I’ve stared at that washing machine since I arrived in Seoul three days ago, wishing it would just whisper instructions to me! Thanks! 

  • Emma Pang

    Trying to imagine why Amber was watching this video regarding washing machines

    Thought process of Amber:
    “Hmmm I need to wash some clothes today but I don’t understand the instructions on the washing machine!”
    *goes on Youtube and types “How to use a korean washing machine”
    “Oh!” *clicks on the first video and watches*
    “This is really helpful!! :) ”

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Supa-Jupa/1382599637 Supa Jupa

    You know, I was wondering while watching this video if it’s possible for your washing machine to actually have had a built in dryer that perhaps you weren’t aware of.  (A friend of mine has one and we were amazed to see that his washing machine also dries the clothes too! No air vent required! Here’s a youtube video of what I’m talking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_5IgW2u0HE&feature=related )

    It seems ridiculous for it to take a whole hour just to wash your clothes. And on top of that, a whole day or two for them to air dry?  American top and front loader machines, from my experience anyway, usually only take 30 minutes for a complete wash cycle.  So an hour or more just seems very excessive.

    As mentioned before, my friend’s washer/dryer combo does take an hour and a half for a full load to be washed and dried – perhaps because the controls on your machines are in korean that it’s possible that a misunderstanding has happened?  Wouldn’t it be super cool if that were the case and suddenly you can have clean AND dry clothes instantly?

     Maybe you could invite a Korean stay-at-home-mother/friend over for coffee and ask them to completely walk you through your new machine (in your new apartment) and ask them if the machine also dries the clothes as well.    I hope some miracle happens and it turns out this theory is right!  How awesome would that be?   Good luck guys!  d (>u<) b

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Tatiana-Barmina/1812111164 Tatiana Barmina

    I have the same washing machine. What a coincidence…

  • Anonymous

    So is there any way to get out of using fabric softener? I have a really bad allergy to a lot of laundry products, worst of all is fabric softener. It sucks. :(

    • Anonymous

      Lol I’m her sister, and trust me, she swells up like a BALLOON. I’m hoping if she visits me there will not be a trip to the hospital.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6HDDYWFSATUCOJFKH32I6SUICE kimmysapphire

    i thought the third slot was for bleach.  i’ve never seen high performance (front loader) washing powder, it’s usually only liquid. thanks.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=521132442 Alec Chalmers

    This was really, helpful. We’ve just got to Korea, and needed to wash the stinky bedclothes. It’s all a bit overwhelming at the moment, as we’re by ourselves until the end of Chusok, and little things like this are making life much easier :D

  • http://twitter.com/IsolaValentine Natalie

    for some reason the korean doesn’t show up on this page for me.

  • http://twitter.com/Ashihana 박 민 미

    i can’t never used the powder soap for washin clothes coz it makes my hand dries for a week..damn.i don’t know why it happen and i used to use liquid soap only..hehe..but hey..it was fun watching u used the washing machines!

  • Kira Frank

    Gah! Thank you! I’ve been in Korea for two weeks and this video, along with a bunch of your other ones,  has been really helpful.

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