How Do You Ask for a Confirm, Reply, or Review in Korean at Work?

Confirm vs Reply vs Review — Pick the Ask That Matches What You Need

Have you ever finished a Korean work email, then paused on the last line, not quite sure you asked for the right thing?

You typed something polite that ends in 부탁드립니다. It looks fine. A day later you get a short “확인했습니다” when what you needed was a yes or no — or silence, because they thought you were just looping them in.

Today we’ll untangle three closers that sound almost the same in English, so you can pick the one that matches what you actually need.

The three that get mixed up

Korean workplaces lean hard on these:

  • 확인 부탁드립니다 — “please confirm / take a look”
  • 회신 부탁드립니다 — “please reply”
  • 검토 부탁드립니다 — “please review”

They are not interchangeable.

확인 is for eyes. Did the file arrive? Is the date okay? Please look once so we’re aligned. You’re not asking for a long answer — you’re asking them to check.

회신 is for words back. A decision, a yes/no, something written you can act on. If you need them to answer, this is the one.

검토 is for judgment on a document — a deck, a contract, a proposal. You want feedback or approval, not just a glance.

Stacking all three in one sentence (“확인 및 회신 후 검토 부탁드립니다”) usually makes the ask fuzzier, not safer. Pick the one verb that matches what you need.

How it sounds in a real message

  • 확인 부탁드립니다. — Please take a look / confirm this. (file arrived, date OK, we’re aligned)
  • 회신 부탁드립니다. — Please reply. (I need your yes/no or a written answer)
  • 검토 부탁드립니다. — Please review this. (deck / draft / contract needs your judgment)
  • 확인 부탁드려요. — Softer “please check” for lighter chat (Kakao Work, Slack-ish tone)
  • 검토 후 의견 부탁드립니다. — Please review, then share your thoughts. (clearer than 검토 alone when you want feedback)

Try it at work today

Before you hit send, ask yourself one question: do I need eyes, words back, or judgment on a draft?

  • Eyes only → 확인 부탁드립니다
  • Need an answer → 회신 부탁드립니다
  • Need judgment on a draft → 검토 부탁드립니다

One closer per message. Don’t stack all three.

Once these three feel like separate habits, hitting send gets a lot less stressful — you’re asking for a real action, not just sounding polite.

Related reads

If you want to practice these out loud:

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