금강산도 식후경 = (lit. even at Geumgang mountain, one eats before sightseeing) Eating takes priority.

고생 끝에 낙이 온다 = (lit. Pleasure comes after difficulty) No pain, no gain.  

고진감래 = (lit. sweet after bitter) No pain, no gain.

가는 말이 고와야 오는 말이 곱다 = (lit. to hear something beautiful, one must say something beautiful) What goes around comes around.  

원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다 = (lit. even monkeys fall from trees) Nobody’s perfect.

세 살 버릇 여든까지 간다 = (lit. habits at three years old will last until eighty) Old habits die hard.

그 아버지에 그 아들 = (lit. In that father, that son) Like father, like son.

하나를 보면 열을 안다 = (lit. if you see one, you know ten) You can see people’s character from their behaviour.

매도 먼저 맞는 게 낫다 = (lit. even with a beating, it’s better to go first) Get it out of the way.

발 없는 말이 천 리를 간다 = (lit. words without feet go 1000 miles) Rumours travel far and fast. 

중로에서 뺨 맞고 한강에서 화풀이한다 = (lit. get hit in Jungro and take in out at the Han river) To take one’s anger out on someone else.

호랑이도 제 말하면 온다 = (lit. even a tiger will appear when somebody speaks of it) Speak of the devil and he will appear. 

산 넘어 산 = (lit. mountains over mountains) Out of the frying pan and into the fire. It’s one thing after another.

길고 짧은 것은 대봐야 안다 = (lit. you have to compare to know which is longer and which shorter) You never know until you try. There’s only one way to find out. 

세월이 약 = (lit. time is medicine) Time heals all wounds. 

무소식이 희소식 = lit. No news is good news. 

남의 떡이 커 보인다 = (lit. other people’s rice cakes look bigger) The grass is greener on the other side.