잘 부탁드립니다

jal bu-tak-deu-rim-ni-da · literally “I ask you (for things) well / Please take care of me”

Situation: Introducing yourself to your new team on your first day: 'Nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you.'

✕ What AI tells you

Translates the second sentence literally as '여러분과 함께 일하기를 기대하고 있습니다', and explains 잘 부탁드립니다 as 'Please take care of me'.

Why it fails: The literal sentence sounds like a stiff speech. Koreans close almost every first introduction with 잘 부탁드립니다 — it means 'I'm counting on our good relationship', and leaving it out feels like something is missing.

✓ What Koreans actually say

End first introductions, new working relationships and requests with 잘 부탁드립니다. Treat it as a fixed social closing, not a literal request.

  • 처음 뵙겠습니다. 김소피입니다. 앞으로 잘 부탁드립니다.

    cheo-eum boep-get-seum-ni-da. gim-so-pi-im-ni-da. ap-eu-ro jal bu-tak-deu-rim-ni-da

    Standard self-introduction on a first day or at a first meeting

  • 이번 프로젝트 잘 부탁드립니다.

    i-beon peu-ro-jek-teu jal bu-tak-deu-rim-ni-da

    Starting work with a new partner or client

  • 잘 부탁해!

    jal bu-tak-hae

    Casual version among friends, e.g. a new teammate in a club

Cultural nuance, in depth

English has no fixed phrase for the moment a relationship begins, so translations either drop it or turn it into something odd like 'Please take care of me.' In Korean the phrase signals humility and goodwill: you are entering someone's group and acknowledging that you will depend on each other. You'll also hear it after a request (이 서류 확인 잘 부탁드립니다) and at the end of business emails, where it works like 'Thank you in advance.'