Navigating modern dating and casual texting in Korea has its own unique rhythm and language. Whether you’re chatting on KakaoTalk or talking about your love life, here are 3 essential dating and texting slang terms used by Korean Gen Z and millennials today!
1. 자만추 (Ja-Man-Chu)
- Meaning: Seeking a natural encounter. An abbreviation for 자연스러운 만남 추구.
- Context: Used to describe people who prefer meeting romantic partners naturally in daily life (through mutual hobbies, work, or campus) rather than through formal blind dates (Sogaeting) or dating apps.
- Example:A: “Do you want me to set you up on a blind date?”B: “No thanks, I’m strictly a Ja-Man-Chu person.”(아니야, 난 완전 자만추 스타일이야.)
2. 안읽씹 (An-Ikg-Ssip) vs 읽씹 (Ikg-Ssip)
- Meaning:
- 안읽씹 (An-Ikg-Ssip): Leaving someone on “unseen” / ignoring the message without opening it. (안 읽고 씹다)
- 읽씹 (Ikg-Ssip): Leaving someone on “read” without replying. (읽고 씹다)
- When to use: When discussing text messaging etiquette or venting about someone ghosting your messages on KakaoTalk or Instagram DM.
- Example:“He hasn’t opened my message for two days—that’s a total An-Ikg-Ssip!”(이틀 동안 내 카톡을 안 보다니, 완전 안읽씹이잖아!)
3. 심쿵 (Sim-Kung)
- Meaning: Heart-fluttering shock / A sudden heart-throb moment. A blend of 심장 (Heart) + 쿵 (Thump/Boom).
- When to use: When someone does something unexpectedly sweet, looks breathtakingly attractive, or when you see an adorable pet that makes your heart skip a beat.
- Example:“When he offered me his umbrella in the rain, it was a major Sim-Kung moment.”(비 올 때 우산 건네주는데 진짜 심쿵했어.)
Use these terms in your next chat to sound effortlessly fluent and culturally plugged-in!
Stay tuned for more dating tips and modern Korean expressions!
“Haha, the difference between 안읽씹 and 읽씹 is so real! KakaoTalk read receipts make ghosting feel ten times more dramatic. Definitely adding 자만추 to my vocabulary. Thanks for the fun breakdown!