South Korea Slang Dictionary

Outsider; a social outcast or loner, often online. Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Cute display of affection (often done by celebrities)

Deep, profound affection or love. Usually warm or playful; read the relationship before assuming sincerity. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Fool; idiot (mild, often used playfully among friends)

Delivery (especially food delivery). Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Side dishes (essential part of a Korean meal, often served with main dishes)

Packed tightly; full (often used for schedules or spaces)

Peeking out; popping up (onomatopoeia for a quick peek)

Suddenly standing up; bouncing up (onomatopoeia for quick movement)

A persons favorite member in a K-pop group. Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Fire Friday; TGIF (The Golden Friday, referring to a fun Friday night)

Traffic jam; traffic congestion (short for "cha ga mak-hi-da")

To dress up nicely; to be well-dressed. Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Fried chicken (extremely popular takeaway/delivery item). Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Chicken and beer (a popular combination, from "chicken" + "maekju" (beer))

Elementary schooler (often used pejoratively for immature adults)

The person who takes the initiative or takes responsibility (literally "spearhead")

Please give me... (polite request, often used informally)

The release of a new album or single by a K-pop artist

Awesome; amazing; huge success (literally "big hit"). Often used approvingly among peers; can sound exaggerated or ironic online. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Designated driver service (where a driver is hired to drive the owners car home)

Getting a desired item, often unexpectedly or at a good price (from "deuktemhada" - to acquire an item)

Strong back muscles (a desirable physique feature). Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Blah blah blah; et cetera (used to refer to omitted or unimportant details)

Face game; looking good (used for focusing on visual attractiveness in dating)

Moms friends son (someone who is perfect in every way, often used sarcastically)

A clumsy or awkward person (from "eomcheong-i" - awkward person)

Difficult; hard (can be used to express a tricky situation or embarrassment)

Difficult; hard (can be used to express a tricky situation or embarrassment)

The center of a town or village. Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Sensitivity; emotional sentiment (often used for aesthetics or vibe)

Suddenly awkward atmosphere (abbreviation of "gapjagi bunwigiga ssahaejinda" - suddenly the atmosphere became cold)

Falling in love quickly (from "geumsa-sarang-e ppajinda" - falling in love quickly)

Friend; buddy (revived from Squid Game, can imply a close, trusted bond, potentially romantic)

Train (general term for train travel). Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

A person who makes a lot of mistakes or is clumsy online (from "goh-rah-ni" - Korean water deer, which is known for being clumsy)

Meat (general term, but widely used when talking about BBQ or meat dishes)

Difficulty; predicament; embarrassment (can refer to a tricky situation)

Alley; backstreet (often used for local, hidden gems)

Ball tea; often used as a pun for kicking a ball around/playing soccer (Gong means ball, Cha means tea or kick)

Study; studying (standard, but central). Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Intestines (sometimes used as an insult meaning someone is disgusting or a gutless person)

A tiny, inexpensive room, typically rented by students or those with low income (very small living space)

Excessive nationalism; nationalistic intoxication (often used critically). Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Overwork; severe burnout due to excessive work. Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Attention seeker; used to describe someone who dresses flashy to get attention

Private cram school or academy (where students go for extra lessons)

Gym maniac; a person dedicated/addicted to the gym (from "health" + "chang" - lunatic/addict)

Eating alone (from "honja" - alone + "bap" - rice/meal)

Fighting!; Go for it!; Good luck! (Korean pronunciation of "fighting")

Confirmed; decided (often used informally for plans). Functions as agreement, acknowledgment, or confirmation in fast back-and-forth chat. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Someone who is a burden or trouble (literally "fire dragon," implies bringing trouble)

Mental breakdown; the feeling of suddenly coming back to harsh reality (short for "reality time")

Older brother (used by males to older males, also for close male friends)

Insider; a popular person on social media or in a social group

Describes whether a style is "in" or "out" (from "insider" and "outsider")

I couldnt sleep; used to express tiredness/exhaustion. Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

A deep, complex emotional bond, loyalty, and affectionate attachment

Normal; top; peak (can be used to confirm normalcy or excellence)

SUV or 4x4 vehicle (from the brand "Jeep," but used generically)

Designated; specified (often used informally for a specific place or time)

To skip an online meeting or class (from "jjaelda" - to skip, + "sa" - four)

To skip (class); to ditch (class). Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Funny (abbreviation of "jaemi-itda" - to be fun/interesting)

Best; awesome; leader (informal, often used for approval)

Awesome; amazing; incredible (stronger than daebak, often for something unexpected)

A cramped, extremely small, often subdivided room for low-income tenants

A state of extreme grogginess or difficulty waking up

Rice balls (often simple, quick-to-eat food). Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Broken heart; heartbreak (short for "maeum-i kkaejida" - heart breaking)

Shocked; surprised (abbreviation of "kkamjjak nollada" - to be very surprised)

Meticulous; thorough. Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

An old person (especially a man) who is condescending and inflexible; boomer

"Boomer" fashion; an outdated or old-fashioned style. Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Very fun; interesting (literally "honey jam"). Often used approvingly among peers; can sound exaggerated or ironic online. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

A good restaurant; a "taste house" (often used when suggesting a date spot)

The last train or bus of the night. Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

The youngest person in a group. Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Heart-wrenching; heartbreaking (from "ma-eum-i jjitgineun" - heart torn)

Crazy bastard/guy (masculine form, "michin-nyeon" for female). Used as informal criticism or teasing; strength depends on relationship and delivery. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Push and pull; playing hard to get (from "mil" - push, "dang" - pull)

An unfinished life; someone still striving or incomplete (from a popular webtoon/drama)

Best body; a person with a good physique. Often used approvingly among peers; can sound exaggerated or ironic online. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Cannot bear it; unbearable (short for "mot gyeondida")

Problem; issue (standard, but widely used informally). Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Not fun; boring (opposite of kkuljaem, "no jam"). Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Older sister (used by males to older females, also for close female friends)

Older brother (used by females to older males, also for boyfriends/male friends)

Peeking out; popping up (can be used for peeking at answers in an exam)

Intense studying; studying very hard (from "ppakssaege gongbu")

Intense studying; studying very hard (from "ppakssaege gongbu")

Inner peace; comfort; well-being. Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Bastard; son of a bitch (can be very offensive, or milder among close friends depending on context)

To ignore; to pretend not to know (informal, sometimes rude)

A person who is affectionate and loves openly. Usually warm or playful; read the relationship before assuming sincerity. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

An obsessive fan who invades the privacy of celebrities

Selfie (from "self camera"). Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Heart throb; heart-stopping (used when seeing someone attractive or feeling a sudden romantic feeling)

A quick thinker; quick-witted (from "sokdoe-go saenggakhanda"). Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

The state of having a "something" going on with someone, but not officially dating

The "talking stage" of a relationship, but online only (from "ssom" + "bap" - rice/meal)

A story; a tale (informal, often told online). Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

CSAT (College Scholastic Ability Test), the nationwide college entrance exam

Taxi (from English "taxi," widely used for any cab)

Spicy rice cakes; popular street food and snack. Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Blockhead; thick-headed (from "tteok" - rice cake, implying density)

Best face; someone with a very attractive face (from "eolgul" (face) + "jjang")

Older sister (used by females to older females, also for close female friends)

Monthly rent (a common rental arrangement). Informal shorthand whose exact tone depends on who is speaking and where it appears. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

A studio apartment (literally "one room"). Often used approvingly among peers; can sound exaggerated or ironic online. It is commonly discussed in South Korea contexts

Late-night snack/meal (very common culture of ordering late-night food)

Lover; a romantic partner in an intimate relationship