How BTS, Blackpink and K-pop have boosted the Korean language’s popularity worldwide, from oppa to saranghae
- Korean words and phrases are crossing language barriers and appearing all over the internet
- They reflect the surge in popularity of K-pop, K-drama and Korean pop culture
By Park Ji-won
Romanised Korean can be found everywhere on the internet these days, sprinkled throughout comments posted by international K-pop fans, inspired by the Korean lyrics from their favourite songs.
Considering the Korean language is not widely used outside Korea, these posts by foreigners are interesting to Koreans, as they highlight the country’s soft power that has spread via K-pop and the nation’s juggernaut entertainment industry.
Along with the common oppa (an innocent and intimate girlish way to address a boy or man who is older than the speaker, often translated as older brother), words such as daebak (an exclamation roughly equivalent to awesome) and saranghae (I love you) are commonly used by K-pop fans online.
Some fans show a deeper understanding, with the use of Korean buzzword dolminjeongeum, a combination of idol and Hunminjeongeum, the title of an ancient treatise on the Korean language.