Calling '이모 (imo)' at a Restaurant — The Warm-Hearted Nickname of Korean Eateries
이모
Imagine you’ve walked into a small Korean eatery and taken a seat. When you want more side dishes, or when you’d like to ask for some water, this is what Korean people call out: “이모, 여기 김치 좀 더 주세요! (imo, yeogi gimchi jom deo juseyo!)” — “Auntie, could I get a little more kimchi over here, please!”
이모 (imo) originally means “your mother’s older or younger sister” — in other words, a maternal aunt — and it’s a family term of address. But in Korean restaurant culture, people affectionately call the middle-aged woman who owns or works at an eatery 이모 (imo), even though there isn’t a single drop of shared blood between them. Today, let’s dig deep into this one warm little word.
Meaning and Nuance
The dictionary meaning is clear. 이모 (imo) is your mother’s sister. Your father’s sister is called 고모 (gomo), so don’t mix them up! An 이모 is a woman relative connected to you by blood — the one closest to your mom. Because of this, the word carries a feeling of “a comfortable, warm-hearted grown-up woman.”
It’s precisely that feeling that gave rise to the custom of calling an unfamiliar middle-aged woman at a restaurant 이모 (imo). It’s far friendlier than “아주머니 (ajumeoni, ma’am)” or “사장님 (sajangnim, boss)” — a form of address that carries the heart of “someone as comfortable as my own auntie.” In a single word, it captures the atmosphere of a Korean eatery, where 정 (jeong) — warm human affection — matters so much.
Checking with the National Institute of Korean Language Dictionary
The National Institute of Korean Language’s Basic Korean Dictionary explains 이모 (imo) like this:
이모 (noun): A word used to refer to or address one’s mother’s older or younger sister. [en] aunt — A word used to refer to or address one’s mother’s sister. [es] tía materna — Palabra usada para referirse o llamar a la hermana mayor o menor de la madre. [zh] 阿姨，姨妈 — 用于指称或称呼母亲的姐姐或妹妹。 — National Institute of Korean Language, Basic Korean Dictionary (krdict.korean.go.kr)
(The Portuguese translation isn’t in the dictionary, so we’ve added our own — [pt] tia materna: a irmã da mãe.)
Shall we also look at some real usage examples the dictionary provides?
이모가 아직 안 들어와서 나가 보려고요. — National Institute of Korean Language, Basic Korean Dictionary (krdict.korean.go.kr)
This is a situation where 이모 hasn’t come home yet, so someone is heading out to meet her. It naturally shows 이모 as a member of the family.
저녁 식사 때 이모가 해 오신 반찬이 맛있어서 자꾸 그쪽으로만 손이 갔다. — National Institute of Korean Language, Basic Korean Dictionary (krdict.korean.go.kr)
This means that at dinner, the side dishes 이모 made herself were so tasty that the person’s chopsticks kept reaching for them. With both “이모” and “반찬 (side dishes)” appearing together, it’s an example that fits today’s topic perfectly.
이모, 이모가 윷을 던질 차례예요. — National Institute of Korean Language, Basic Korean Dictionary (krdict.korean.go.kr)
This is a scene where the whole family is playing 윷놀이 (yunnori, a traditional board game) on a holiday, and someone is letting 이모 know it’s her turn. It’s a good example of using “이모” as a term of address.
이모는 개인 병원에 간호 조무사로 취직했다. — National Institute of Korean Language, Basic Korean Dictionary (krdict.korean.go.kr)
This sentence introduces 이모’s job, presenting her as an independent grown-up in her own right.
Example Sentences by Situation
Situation 1 — Refilling side dishes at your regular eatery
“이모, 저 콩나물 무침 하나만 더 주세요! (imo, jeo kongnamul muchim hana man deo juseyo!)” — “Auntie, could I get just one more of that seasoned bean-sprout dish, please!”
This is the most common scene: asking the middle-aged woman at your regular spot for more side dishes. The moment you call her “이모,” the distance between customer and owner shrinks a little more.
Situation 2 — Visiting your real 이모’s house
“이모, 오랜만이에요! 이모 김치찌개 먹으러 왔어요. (imo, oraenmanieyo! imo gimchijjigae meogeureo wasseoyo.)” — “Auntie, long time no see! I came to eat your kimchi stew.”
This is a scene where you visit your mom’s younger sister’s house, looking forward to her signature kimchi stew. Family terms of address and food meet naturally here.
Situation 3 — At a market gukbap restaurant
“이모, 여기 국밥 두 그릇이요! (imo, yeogi gukbap du geureusiyo!)” — “Auntie, two bowls of gukbap over here!”
This is the sound of ordering at a 국밥 (gukbap, rice-and-soup) shop inside a market. Even though you’re strangers, calling her “이모” instantly creates a warm, affectionate mood.
Comparing Formal/Casual Speech and Similar Expressions
이모 (imo) itself is a form of address with no formal/casual distinction, but the words that follow it change. When a niece or nephew is young, they use casual speech, like “이모, 나 이거 줘! (imo, na igeo jwo!)” — “Auntie, give me this!” — and once grown up, they use polite speech, like “이모, 이것 좀 주세요. (imo, igeot jom juseyo.)” — “Auntie, could you give me this, please.”
Similar restaurant terms of address include 아주머니 (ajumeoni) and 사장님 (sajangnim). 아주머니 is polite but keeps a bit of distance, while 사장님 is formal and courteous. 이모, on the other hand, feels the friendliest and warmest, so it suits a place you visit often. Also keep in mind that a young male server is usually called 사장님 or 저기요 (jeogiyo, “excuse me”) — not 삼촌 (samchon, uncle) or 이모부 (imobu, uncle by marriage).
Cultural Background
In Korean dramas, too, you often see scenes where someone calls the middle-aged woman at their regular eatery “이모” and pours out their heart to her. At the end of a hard day, the main character sits down at a 포장마차 (pojangmacha, street food tent) and calls out “이모,” and the woman — without even being asked — sets out some warm food to go with a drink. This one short term of address holds the Korean sentiment of “affection like family, even without shared blood.” So if a foreign learner naturally calls out “이모!” at a restaurant, the owner might just break into a big smile and add an extra plate of side dishes.
Closing Quiz
When you want to call the woman owner at a restaurant in a friendly way, which do Korean people actually use — 고모 (gomo), meaning your father’s younger sister, or 이모 (imo), meaning your mother’s younger sister? (Answer: 이모 — imo)
Definitions and example sentences are from the National Institute of Korean Language’s Basic Korean Dictionary (krdict.korean.go.kr); that portion of this post, including our translations, is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.