Soothing singers now ‘eardrum girlfriends’ for young Koreans
Term also reflects the increasing social mood of smartphone-addicted young people
By Ko Dong-hwan
There’s a newly coined word in Korea’s urban dictionary: eardrum girlfriend.
It may sound weird, but it hinges on the pleasurable sensation of being around one’s lover and listening to her.
“Eardrum girlfriend” derives from a general understanding that one’s ear needs a break from listening to all sorts of babble from others.
These can include oppressive bosses, nagging wives, mothers-in-law, bad neighbours and telemarketers. Or it might relate to Korea’s ongoing political maelstrom, with key suspects making excuses to avoid being charged at National Assembly hearings and by the special prosecutors’ office over the influence-peddling scandal engulfing President Park Geun-hye.
What has soothed the growing number of young people affected by these acoustic hazards is something extraordinarily pleasant to listen to. The buffer, or “eardrum girlfriend” what Korean hipsters call it refers to the mesmerising voices of certain musicians or other celebrities.