My younger cousin uses words I don’t understand. I’m only in my 30s and I already feel old. Let me share what I’ve learned from stalking Gen Z Korean TikTok.
Why Gen Z Slang Matters
Korean slang evolves FAST. What was cool last year is cringe now. If you want to sound natural (or at least not ancient), you need to keep up.
These words are:
- Used on social media, TikTok, YouTube
- Common among 10s-20s Koreans
- Spreading to older generations (slowly)
- NOT in any textbook
Quick Overview
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 갓생 | gatsaeng | Living your best life |
| 점메추 | jeommechu | Lunch recommendation |
| 꾸안꾸 | kkuankku | Effortlessly stylish |
| 득템 | deuktem | Score a great find |
| 존맛 | jonmat | Super delicious |
| 렬루 | ryeollu | For real |
| 갑분싸 | gapbunssa | Sudden awkward silence |
| 오저치고 | ojechigo | Out of the blue |
1. 갓생 (gatsaeng) - “Living your best productive life”
🎯 When to Use It
갓 (God) + 생 (life) = God-tier life
This describes living productively - waking up early, working out, studying, eating healthy. Basically being a functional adult that Gen Z aspires to be.
The opposite? 흑생 (heuksaeng) - “dark life” - staying in bed, ordering delivery, doom scrolling.
💬 Real Example
(What did you do today? / Woke up at 6, worked out, studied / Wow you’re living 갓생 lol / Planning to live 흑생 tomorrow)
🏠 Cera’s Real Life
I attempted 갓생 for exactly one week after New Year’s. Woke up at 5:30, did yoga, made healthy breakfast…
Then my toddler got a cold. Back to 흑생.
📝 Practice Examples
- Admiring someone: 갓생 산다 (gatsaeng sanda) - “Living the productive life”
- Self-deprecating: 난 오늘 흑생이야 (nan oneul heuksaengiya) - “I’m living 흑생 today”
- Encouraging: 내일부터 갓생 살자 (naeilbuteo gatsaeng salja) - “Let’s live 갓생 starting tomorrow”
DO:
- Use it to praise someone’s productivity
- Use 흑생 to joke about lazy days
DON’T:
- Take it too seriously (it’s meant to be slightly ironic)
2. 점메추 (jeommechu) - “Lunch recommendation please”
🎯 When to Use It
점심 (jeom) + 메뉴 (me) + 추천 (chu) = Lunch menu recommendation
This is the eternal Korean office worker’s question. Every single day at 11:30 AM, group chats explode with “점메추” requests.
Similar words:
- 저메추 (jeomechu) - Dinner recommendation
- 아메추 (amechu) - Breakfast recommendation (rare - who eats breakfast?)
💬 Real Example
(Lunch recommendation please / Had jjajangmyeon yesterday, it was good / I’m having salad… / Salad isn’t food)
🏠 Cera’s Real Life
My husband’s work group chat sends “점메추” every single day without fail. The answer is always: whatever’s closest and has short lines.
I now use this with my mom friends too. “애들 저메추” (Kid’s dinner recommendation) is a daily struggle.
📝 Practice Examples
- Asking: 점메추 좀! (jeommechu jom!) - “Give me lunch recs!”
- Responding: 짬뽕 어때? (jjamppong eottae?) - “How about jjamppong?”
- Variation: 야식메추 (yasikmechu) - Late night snack recommendation
3. 꾸안꾸 (kkuankku) - “Effortlessly stylish”
🎯 When to Use It
꾸민 듯 안 꾸민 듯 = “Looks styled but also not styled”
The art of looking put-together without looking like you tried too hard. It’s THE Korean beauty/fashion aesthetic.
The opposite is 꾸꾸꾸 (kkukkukku) - obviously styled/dolled up.
💬 Real Example
🏠 Cera’s Real Life
꾸안꾸 is basically my survival strategy as a mom. Messy bun + minimal makeup + “oversized clothes” (my husband’s clothes) = Is she stylish or just tired? No one knows!
The secret: expensive basics. A plain white t-shirt looks very different at 5,000 won vs 50,000 won.
📝 Style Spectrum
| Korean | Meaning | Effort Level |
|---|---|---|
| 무꾸 | No styling | 0% |
| 꾸안꾸 | Effortlessly styled | 30% (looks like 0%) |
| 꾸꾸꾸 | Obviously styled | 100% |
4. 득템 (deuktem) - “Score a great item”
🎯 When to Use It
득 (gain/profit) + 아이템 (item) = Gained an item
Originally from gaming (getting good loot), now used for:
- Finding something on sale
- Getting a great deal
- Finding something free/cheap
💬 Real Example
(The coat was 70% off today / Omg that’s a score!! / Seriously such a deal lol / I should go too, where?)
🏠 Cera’s Real Life
Baby clothes at 당근마켓 (Karrot Market - Korean secondhand app) are the ultimate 득템 opportunities. Kids grow so fast, most stuff is barely worn.
I’ve 득템’d designer baby clothes for like 5,000 won. Mom victory.
📝 Practice Examples
- Bragging: 이거 완전 득템했어 (igeo wanjeon deuktemhaesseo) - “I totally scored this”
- Complimenting: 득템이네! (deuktemne!) - “What a find!”
- Gaming origin: 레어템 득템함 (reeeotem deuktemham) - “Got a rare item drop”
5. 존맛 (jonmat) - “Crazy delicious”
🎯 When to Use It
존나 (jonna - very/extremely, vulgar) + 맛있다 (delicious) = 존맛
The polite version is 존맛탱 (jonmattaeng) which sounds cuter.
⚠️ Warning: 존나 is a swear word (similar to “f*cking” as an intensifier). 존맛 is the sanitized version, but older Koreans might still raise an eyebrow.
💬 Real Example
🏠 Cera’s Real Life
I accidentally said “존맛” in front of my mother-in-law once. The silence was deafening.
She still doesn’t know what it means. Let’s keep it that way.
📝 Similar Expressions
| Korean | Romanization | Intensity |
|---|---|---|
| 맛있어 | masisseo | Normal |
| 완전 맛있어 | wanjeon masisseo | Very good |
| 존맛 | jonmat | Crazy good (slang) |
| 존맛탱 | jonmattaeng | Crazy good (cuter) |
DO:
- Use it with friends your age
- Use 존맛탱 for slightly softer vibes
DON’T:
- Use it with older people or in formal settings
- Use it at business dinners (just say 맛있습니다)
6. 렬루 (ryeollu) - “For real”
🎯 When to Use It
A cutesy/slurred way of saying 진짜 (really). Comes from 리얼루 (real-ly) → 렬루.
Similar to how English speakers say “fr fr” (for real for real).
💬 Real Example
(BTS is having a comeback / For real??? / Yeah for real / Omg for real amazing)
🏠 Cera’s Real Life
My teenage cousin uses this and I had to ask what it meant. She looked at me like I was ancient. I AM ONLY 30-SOMETHING.
I’ve tried using it ironically but it feels weird coming out of my mouth.
📝 “Really” Evolution
| Era | Word |
|---|---|
| Standard | 진짜 (jinjja) |
| 2010s | 레알 (real) |
| 2020s+ | 렬루 (ryeollu) |
7. 갑분싸 (gapbunssa) - “Sudden awkward silence”
🎯 When to Use It
갑자기 (suddenly) + 분위기 (mood) + 싸해지다 (becomes cold/awkward)
That moment when someone says something and the whole room goes quiet. The vibe shifts. Everyone’s uncomfortable.
💬 Real Example
(I broke up with my girlfriend today / … / Sudden mood killer lol / Ah let’s just play the game)
🏠 Cera’s Real Life
Family dinners are 갑분싸 goldmines.
“So when are you having another baby?” 갑분싸 “How much do you make?” 갑분싸 “You gained weight!” 갑분싸
📝 Practice Examples
- Calling it out: 갑분싸네 (gapbunssane) - “Well that killed the mood”
- Warning: 갑분싸 주의 (gapbunssa juui) - “Mood-killer warning”
- Apologizing: 미안 갑분싸 됐지? (mian gapbunssa dwaetji?) - “Sorry, did I make it awkward?”
8. 오저치고 (ojechigo) - “Out of nowhere”
🎯 When to Use It
어디서 (where) + 갑자기 (suddenly) + 치고 들어오다 (barge in)
When something or someone appears/happens completely out of the blue with no context.
💬 Real Example
(Hey I like you / What??? Where did that come from / Just because / Go to sleep lol)
🏠 Cera’s Real Life
My toddler is the queen of 오저치고. We’ll be eating dinner quietly and she’ll suddenly yell “엄마 뽀뽀!” (Mommy kiss!) out of nowhere.
Can’t complain about that one though.
📝 Similar Expressions
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 갑자기 | Suddenly |
| 뜬금없이 | Out of the blue |
| 오저치고 | Barging in from nowhere (newer slang) |
🎯 Quick Review Quiz
1. What does 갓생 mean?
- A) Gaming life
- B) Productive/best life
- C) God’s life
2. 꾸안꾸 describes someone who looks:
- A) Very dressed up
- B) Effortlessly stylish
- C) Messy
3. When would you say 갑분싸?
- A) When food is delicious
- B) When the mood suddenly gets awkward
- C) When you find a good deal
Check Answers
- B - 갓생 means living your best productive life
- B - 꾸안꾸 is the effortlessly styled aesthetic
- B - 갑분싸 is when someone kills the mood
Slang Warning Levels
| Slang | Safe to use with… |
|---|---|
| 점메추 | Anyone |
| 갓생 | Friends, casual settings |
| 득템 | Anyone (gaming origin) |
| 꾸안꾸 | Fashion/beauty contexts |
| 갑분싸 | Friends |
| 존맛 | Close friends only |
| 렬루 | Very young people |
| 오저치고 | Very young people |
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- Korean Texting 101 - Text abbreviations (ㅋㅋ, ㄱㅅ)
- Korean Internet Memes Explained - More internet culture
I showed this post to my cousin. She said “이모 렬루 노력했네” (Auntie really tried). I’ll take it as a compliment.