Korean Slang Dictionary

Oppa 오빠

The word a woman or girl uses for her older brother — and, by extension, for any older male she feels close to, including older male friends and boyfriends. Only female speakers use it; a man addressing an older man says "hyung" instead. Because it signals warmth and closeness, calling a non-relative "oppa" carries a flirtatious or affectionate undertone.

Unnie 언니

What a woman or girl calls her older sister, or an older female friend she's close to. It's strictly for female speakers; a man addressing an older woman says "noona" instead. It conveys affection and a sister-like bond rather than formality.

Hyung 형

What a man or boy calls his older brother, or an older male friend he's close to. It's for male speakers only; women use "oppa" for older males. Adding -nim ("hyungnim") makes it more deferential — or, in crime dramas, is how gang members address the boss.

Noona 누나

What a man or boy calls his older sister, or an older female friend he's close to. It's for male speakers only; women say "unnie" for older women. Like "oppa," it can carry romantic potential when used toward a non-relative.

Sunbae 선배

A senior at your school, workplace, or industry — someone who entered before you, regardless of their actual age. Both men and women use it, usually with the honorific suffix as "sunbaenim." The junior counterpart is "hoobae."

Hoobae 후배

A junior at your school, workplace, or industry — someone who entered after you, regardless of age. It's mostly used to describe the relationship rather than to address someone: you'd say "she's my hoobae," but call the person by their name. The senior counterpart is "sunbae."

Dongsaeng 동생

A younger sibling, or a younger close friend you treat like one — used by any gender about any gender. Like "hoobae," it's mainly referential: you describe someone as your dongsaeng but address them by name. Add yeo- (여동생) for a younger sister or nam- (남동생) for a younger brother.

Maknae 막내

The youngest person in any group — a family, an office team, and most famously a K-pop group. The maknae is stereotypically doted on by the older members but also expected to do aegyo and run errands. Anyone can use the word; it describes a role, not an address term with gender rules.

Ajumma 아줌마

A middle-aged (typically married) woman, and a blunt way to address one — for example, calling out to the woman running a restaurant. In pop culture the ajumma is a whole archetype: permed hair, sun visor, fierce bargaining skills, and zero fear. Anyone can say it, but whether you should is another matter.

Ajusshi 아저씨

A middle-aged man, and the default way to address an unrelated man of roughly that age — a taxi driver, a shop owner, a stranger on the street. It's the male counterpart of "ajumma." Anyone can use it, but it instantly frames the man as older and unglamorous.

Chingu 친구

"Friend" — but with a catch: in traditional Korean usage, chingu implies someone the same age as you, because equal age is what allows fully casual speech. Friends who are older or younger get relationship terms instead (hyung, unnie, noona, oppa, dongsaeng). You'll also see it in namja chingu (boyfriend) and yeoja chingu (girlfriend).

Jagiya 자기야

"Honey" or "darling" — the standard pet name Korean couples call each other, used by both partners regardless of gender or age gap. It's what couples often graduate to after the "oppa" stage, and married couples keep using it for decades.

Daebak 대박

An exclamation of amazement — somewhere between "awesome," "jackpot," and "no way." It describes anything unexpectedly huge or great (a hit song, a windfall, shocking gossip), and said sarcastically it can also mean "unbelievable" in a bad way. Everyone from teenagers to variety-show hosts uses it, usually among friends or as a spontaneous outburst.

Heol 헐

A dumbfounded "whoa," "OMG," or "seriously?" — the sound of being too stunned to form a sentence. It covers shock, disbelief, and deadpan disappointment, and it's strictly casual, said among friends or muttered to yourself.

Jinjja 진짜

"Really?" or "seriously" — it works as a question (Jinjja? "For real?"), an intensifier (jinjja mashisseo, "really delicious"), and an exasperated groan (Jinjja...! "Ugh, seriously!"). It's everyday speech used by everyone, though the bare form is casual.

Aigoo 아이고

An all-purpose sigh: "oh dear," "oof," "oh my goodness." It expresses fatigue, sympathy, exasperation, or fond dismay — a grandmother groaning as she sits down, a parent cooing over a child, a friend reacting to your bad luck. Anyone can say it to anyone; the target matters less than the sigh itself.

Omo 어머

A startled "Oh my!" — the reflexive gasp when something surprises, delights, or scandalizes you, often doubled as omo omo for extra fluster. It's stereotypically feminine speech, typically among friends or as an involuntary outburst.

Jebal 제발

"Please, I'm begging you" — a desperate, emotional plea, not a polite formality. You say it when you really need something: begging a friend for a favor, pleading with fate, imploring someone not to leave. It works at any level of intimacy because the desperation, not the politeness, is the message.

Hwaiting 화이팅

"You can do it!" / "Go, go!" — a cheer of encouragement before exams, performances, games, or any challenge. It's Konglish, so it means "good luck, give it your all" rather than anything combative, and anyone can say it to anyone in a cheering context.

Saranghae 사랑해

"I love you" in its casual, intimate form — said between couples, close friends, family, and famously between idols and fans. Because it drops the polite ending, it signals closeness as much as affection.

Jjang 짱

"The best," "awesome," "top-tier" — slangy praise for people and things alike (eolgul jjang, "best face"). In school slang it can also mean the boss or toughest kid. It's friendly, punchy praise used among peers.

Kekeke (ㅋㅋㅋ) ㅋㅋㅋ

Korean text-laughter: the consonant ㅋ (a "k" sound) repeated, equivalent to "lol" or "hahaha." More ㅋs means harder laughing — ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ is cracking up, while a single ㅋ can read as dry, sarcastic, or dismissive. It lives almost entirely in texting and comments rather than speech.

Ppalli-ppalli 빨리빨리

"Hurry, hurry!" — the doubled adverb for "quickly," barked when someone needs to move faster. Beyond the literal command, it names Korea's famous ppalli-ppalli culture: same-day delivery, lightning internet, food arriving before you've sat down, and a collective impatience with waiting.

Bogosipeo 보고싶어

"I miss you" — literally "I want to see you," which is exactly how Korean expresses missing a person. The bare form is intimate, said to partners, close friends, family, and by idols to their fans.

Gwaenchana 괜찮아

"It's okay / I'm fine / no worries" — reassurance, comfort, or forgiveness, and as a question (Gwaenchana?) "Are you okay?" It also works as a polite-ish refusal: answering gwaenchana to an offer means "I'm good, thanks." The bare form is for friends and people younger or close to you.

Andwae 안돼

"No way!" / "You can't!" / "That's not allowed!" — a refusal, prohibition, or cry of despair. It ranges from a parent telling a kid no, to a fan wailing at bad news, to a drama heroine screaming it at a cliffhanger. The bare form is blunt and casual.

Chukahae 축하해

"Congrats!" — the casual way to congratulate someone on a birthday, graduation, win, or good news. Said to friends, peers, and people younger than you; the politeness scales up through chukahaeyo to the formal chukadeurimnida.

Mianhae 미안해

"I'm sorry" in its casual, personal form — apologies between friends, siblings, and couples, from a mumbled "my bad" to a tearful drama confession. It carries emotional weight precisely because it's intimate rather than formal.

Mwoya 뭐야

"What is this?" / "What the—?!" — an incredulous or annoyed reaction to something weird, unfair, or unexpected. Between friends it's often playful ("what are you even like?"), but with an edge in the voice it means genuine irritation. Strictly casual speech.

Aegyo 애교

A deliberately cute manner — baby-voiced talk, puffed cheeks, finger hearts, whiny charm — performed to be adorable and win someone over. It can be a personality trait ("she's full of aegyo") or an on-demand performance. Both men and women do it; male idols' aegyo is a fandom delight of its own.

Aegyo-sal 애교살

The small pouch of fat directly under the eyes that plumps up when you smile, making the eyes look bigger, younger, and friendlier. In K-beauty it's a coveted feature — the opposite of Western makeup's war on under-eye anything. People highlight it with makeup or even get fillers to create it.

Gwiyomi 귀요미

"Cutie" — an affectionate noun for an adorable person, pet, or thing. It's playful, casual slang you'd use about a friend, an idol, or a puppy. It also names the viral "Gwiyomi Song" aegyo routine.

Skinship 스킨십

Affectionate physical touch — holding hands, back-hugs, leaning on shoulders, playing with someone's hair. It covers romantic touch between couples, but also the casual same-sex physical closeness that's normal between Korean friends and idol group members. It's a Konglish word, so don't expect English speakers outside K-culture circles to know it.

Kkondae 꼰대

A condescending older person — typically a boss or senior — who lectures juniors, demands deference because of age or rank, and starts sentences with "back in my day." Think "OK boomer" energy fused with a know-it-all manager. Younger Koreans use it behind such a person's back, never to their face.

Nunchi 눈치

The subtle art of reading a room: sensing other people's unspoken moods, needs, and the social hierarchy, then adjusting your behavior before anyone has to say a word. Someone with quick nunchi (nunchi-ga ppareuda) notices the boss is irritated or a friend is hurting without being told; someone with no nunchi (nunchi-ga eopda) blunders straight through social cues. In Korea's high-context, hierarchy-aware culture it's treated as a core life skill — for getting along at work, in family, and among friends.

Jeong 정

A deep, slow-growing bond of attachment that forms between people — and even toward places, pets, or objects — through shared time and experience. It's broader than love or friendship: Koreans speak of miun jeong (미운 정), the attachment you develop even toward someone who drives you crazy, alongside goun jeong (고운 정), fond attachment. Jeong is described as something that 'seeps in' (jeong-i deulda) rather than something you choose, and it's often cited as a defining trait of Korean relationships.

Gapjil 갑질

Abusive, high-handed behavior by someone in a position of power toward the people beneath them — a boss humiliating staff, a customer berating service workers, an executive treating employees like servants. The word became a household term in the 2010s amid high-profile scandals involving chaebol families, including the 2014 Korean Air 'nut rage' incident that made international headlines. It names a structural problem, not a one-off rude moment: the powerful party exploiting the fact that the weaker party can't fight back.

Chaebol 재벌

A large family-owned and family-controlled business conglomerate — Samsung, Hyundai, LG, and SK are the classic examples. Chaebol dominate the Korean economy, and their founding families' succession battles and scandals are constant news. In K-drama land, the arrogant-but-secretly-wounded chaebol heir is one of the most durable romance tropes.

Honbap 혼밥

Eating a meal alone — and, more broadly, the now-normalized culture of solo dining in a society where meals were traditionally communal. Once mildly stigmatized, honbap has become mainstream as single-person households grew, and many restaurants now offer solo seats and one-person portions. It has spawned a whole hon- family of words, like honsul (drinking alone).

Mukbang 먹방

An 'eating broadcast': a livestream or video where the host eats — often enormous quantities of food — while chatting with viewers or leaning into slurpy ASMR sounds. It's one of Korea's most successful internet-culture exports, now a global YouTube genre. Many viewers watch as virtual dinner company, which is why it's often linked to solo-dining culture.

Somaek 소맥

The classic Korean bomb drink: a shot of soju dropped or poured into a glass of beer. It's the default social lubricant at hoesik (company dinners) and gatherings, complete with rituals around who mixes it and endless debates over the perfect ratio. Being the person who 'mixes somaek well' is a genuine, jokingly-praised social skill.

Selca 셀카

The Korean word for a selfie. In fandom, 'selca' specifically evokes the photos idols post on Instagram, Weverse, or Bubble — a fresh selca from your bias is a minor fan holiday. It also powers fan events like 'Selca Day,' when fans post their own photo next to their bias's.

Ulzzang 얼짱

Literally 'best face' — a title from early-2000s Korean internet culture for ordinary people famous online for their good looks, crowned through cafe communities and ulzzang photo contests. It also names the associated aesthetic: dewy skin, circle lenses, soft angled selfies. Several actors and idols first built followings as ulzzang before debuting.

Jjimjilbang 찜질방

A Korean bathhouse-and-sauna complex, typically open 24 hours: gender-separated bathing areas plus shared lounges where everyone wears matching cotton uniforms and roams between kiln saunas, ice rooms, snack bars, and nap halls. It's part spa, part social hangout, part budget overnight stay. The full experience includes the iconic 'sheep-head' twisted towel, baked eggs, and a cup of sikhye (sweet rice drink).

Bias (Choeae) 최애

In K-pop fandom English, your bias is your favorite member of a group — the one your eyes track in every performance and whose photocards you hunt down. Korean fans say choeae (최애), 'most loved.' Fans also rank an 'ultimate bias' (ult): their number one across all of K-pop.

Bias Wrecker (Chaae) 차애

The group member who keeps threatening to steal your bias's spot — every time they do something charming, your loyalty 'wrecks' a little. Korean fans call their number two the chaae (차애, 'second most loved'); 'bias wrecker' itself is an English-fandom coinage with no exact Korean equivalent. The eternal fan struggle is a bias wrecker slowly staging a coup.

Sasaeng 사생

An obsessive follower who invades an idol's private life: chasing their cars, loitering outside dorms, buying leaked flight details and phone numbers, even breaking into homes. Sasaengs are not an intense 'fan type' to aspire to — they are condemned by fandoms and by idols themselves, and their behavior has led to police involvement and public pleas from artists. The word carries a genuinely dark connotation in K-pop discourse.

Comeback 컴백

In K-pop, a comeback is any new release plus its promotion cycle — new album or single, music video, and weeks of music-show stages — even if the group last released music only a few months ago. It does not imply a return from scandal, retirement, or a long hiatus, which trips up newcomers used to the English sense. A group's year is measured in comebacks.

All-Kill 올킬

When a song hits number one on all of Korea's major domestic streaming and download charts (Melon, Genie, Bugs, and others) at the same time. Fandoms track it obsessively on release day, and a 'Certified All-Kill' (CAK) — verified by the chart aggregator iChart — is treated as proof of a domestic smash hit. It measures Korean general-public reception, which is why fandoms prize it alongside global numbers.

Daesang 대상

The grand prize — the highest honor at Korean year-end award ceremonies like MAMA, the Golden Disc Awards, and the Melon Music Awards, typically given for artist, album, or song of the year. It sits above the bonsang (본상, 'main prize') tier that multiple artists receive. Winning a first daesang is a milestone fandoms campaign for and idols often cry over on stage.

Visual 비주얼

In K-pop, the visual is an actual position in a group's lineup — alongside leader, main vocalist, and maknae — held by the member considered to best fit Korean beauty ideals and to serve as the group's 'face' in photos and CFs. It's an official-ish designation from the agency or fandom consensus, not an insult to the other members. In everyday Korean, bijueol also just means 'looks,' as in praising a dish's presentation.

Photocard 포토카드

A small collectible photo card of a group member, randomly included in K-pop albums — the single biggest driver of fans buying multiple copies. A whole economy has grown around them: trading posts, top-loader protectors, pre-order benefit (POB) exclusives, and rare cards reselling for serious money. Pulling your bias's card from a fresh album is one of fandom's small ecstasies.