[News Terms] 7 Hallyu Words Included in the Oxford English Dictionary

Popularity of K-pop and Dramas
Faithfully Reflecting Korean Culture Noticed in English-speaking Countries

'dalgona' 'hyung' 'noraebang' 'maknae' 'jjigae' 'tteokbokki' 'pansori'

The Oxford University Press in the UK recently added seven words reflecting Korean culture to the English dictionary. As K-culture gained huge popularity worldwide, including the globally successful Netflix original series "Squid Game," Korean foods and terms of address attracted attention in English-speaking countries, leading to the inclusion of words preserving the original Korean pronunciation in the dictionary.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) website, "dalgona" is described as "a Korean candy made by adding baking soda to melted sugar, usually sold by street vendors in flat, simple shapes such as hearts or stars." Dalgona appeared in the drama Squid Game. The dictionary also includes an example sentence from the Boston Globe in October 2022: "Netflix has just released the smash hit 'Squid Game,' which drew fans with dalgona candy."

Terms of address like "hyung" and "maknae" spread worldwide through the popularity of Korean dramas and K-pop idol groups and were included in the dictionary. The dictionary defines "hyung" as "a boy or an older male sibling. It is a term used with respect or affection and, more broadly, can refer to an older male friend." "Maknae" is explained as "the youngest person in a family or group. The youngest member in a K-pop group."

At the same time, Korean food terms such as tteokbokki and jjigae attracted significant interest. "Tteokbokki" is described as "a Korean dish consisting of small cylindrical rice cakes cooked in a spicy sauce made with gochujang. It is usually served as a snack." "Jjigae" is defined as "a variety of broth-based stews made with seafood, meat, and vegetables," and it is noted that it is used with words indicating key seasonings or ingredients, such as "doenjang jjigae" and "kimchi jjigae."

The Oxford English Dictionary, first published in 1884, is an authoritative dictionary in the English-speaking world. It is now operated as an online platform with immediate search capabilities and is regularly updated every three months. The inclusion of Korean words in the Oxford English Dictionary comes about three years after a large batch of 26 words, including "K-drama," "hallyu," "mukbang," and "daebak," were added in September 2021. The presence of Korean words retaining their local pronunciation in a dictionary that selects words frequently used by English speakers signifies the significant interest in K-culture.

As K-culture continues to gain popularity, the number of Korean-related words included in the Oxford English Dictionary is expected to steadily increase. The Oxford University Press is reportedly considering adding words such as "haenyeo," "ajumma," and "bingsu" next year.