[Sunday Culture] "Suddenly Losing Interest" Do You Know the Japanese MZ Generation Slang 'Gaegurihwa Phenomenon'?

Feeling Disenchanted by Partner's Minor Actions
Reflecting MZ Generation's Trait of Pursuing Perfection on SNS

"The person I was meeting read the entire long menu name 'Soft and Fluffy Egg Omurice' aloud, and I turned into a frog. They could have just said omurice. I lost interest and broke up."

Have you ever lost interest in a partner because of an unexpected trivial action?

In Japan, the term "Kaeruka Gensh? (蛙化現象)" or "Frogification Phenomenon" has recently become a buzzword. It refers to the sudden cooling of feelings toward someone you liked because of their minor words or actions.

According to an online survey conducted from the 8th to the 14th of last month by Z Research Institute, a think tank studying Generation Z in Japan, "Kaeruka Gensh?" ranked first in the buzzword category.

Z Research Institute defines the frogification phenomenon as "the feeling of losing interest after seeing the unattractive side of a romantic partner." Originally, this term started circulating on social networking services (SNS) around the early 2020s. In fact, Millennials (M generation) also frequently use this word, so it can be considered a buzzword for the MZ generation.

There are various examples of frogification. Asahi Shimbun introduced a case involving a blind date. At a moment when the person's appearance was appealing and the conversation was going well, imagining a future together, the person panicked when trying to use a discount coupon on their smartphone at the checkout because the webpage wouldn't load, causing frogification.

TBS shared stories such as someone wandering around a food court holding a tray looking for a seat, or trying on clothes in a store and bringing multiple outfits into the fitting room at once, which led to frogification.

So why is this sudden loss of affection compared to a frog?

The term originally comes from psychology. It is derived from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale "The Frog Prince." In the story, a princess drops her ball into the water, and a frog offers to retrieve it in exchange for a wish. The frog asks to live in the princess's castle and sleep beside her.

The princess agrees but does not keep her promise after getting the ball. The frog then visits the castle. The king insists the princess must honor her promise, so she has to live with the frog. When the angry princess throws the frog against the wall, he transforms into a handsome prince. Eventually, they fall in love.

Therefore, in psychology, the frogification phenomenon refers to "a state where one feels disgust toward someone who shows affection to them despite liking that person." In real life, it can be understood as "disliking someone who you had a crush on when they express liking you." It is said to stem from a psychological state where people with low self-esteem preemptively close their hearts, fearing they might be rejected someday.

Actually, the current use of frogification refers to the opposite?when a favorable feeling turns into disgust?but it is used because it signifies a sudden change in evaluation of the other person.

Experts analyze this phenomenon as reflecting the unique traits of the MZ generation. Since they frequently use SNS, they tend to want to appear overly ideal. Because they feel they must appear perfect, they impose excessive ideals on others as well. This leads to experiencing rapid changes in feelings toward someone over very trivial matters.

Although it is a buzzword of the MZ generation, it also reflects the sad reality of modern people worrying about how they appear to others. Perhaps the one truly disappointed is not the person who made a small mistake, but oneself, who worries about others' perceptions and blames oneself.