Purpose The aim of this study was to test the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Quality of Nursing Work Life (QNWL-K) scale. The scale measures the reported quality of the nurse' work life among Korean nurses. Methods The QNWL-K was developed through forward-backward translation techniques. An internal consistency reliability and construct validity using exploratory analysis were conducted using SPSS/WIN (21.0). Survey data were collected from 309 nurses who worked in two tertiary hospitals, four general hospitals, and two hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi, South Korea. Results Factor analysis results of the revised QWNL-K demonstrated that it has a four-factor structure (work context, support systems for home/work life, work design, and staffing) that supports construct validity. Factor loadings of the 36 items ranged from .30~.77. The QNWL-K showed reliable internal consistency from Cronbach's α for the total scale of .93. Conclusion The findings support that the QNWL-K has satisfactory construct validity and is a reliable measure of nursing work life in Korea.