From “Stan” To “Ipdeok”—Boost Your K-Pop Vocabulary With These 8 Terms Korean Fans Use

Here’s how Koreans talk about their favorite groups.

“Fans,” “stans,” and even “K-Poppies”—aside from identifying with a specific fandom name, there are numerous ways K-Pop fans are identified in English. But what do Korean fans say? Courtesy of Hanteo‘s new K-Pop Deep Dive Dictionary, here are eight terms Korean K-Pop fans use to talk about getting into a new group.

1. Ganjaep

Have you ever tested the waters of stanning a new group, following their activities for a little while without becoming a full fan? That’s ganjaep! Ganjaephada (간잽하다) means “to try tasting,” and Korean fans use it to refer to trying out an interest in a K-Pop group. While people who ganjaep a group are usually frowned upon by serious fans, it’s often the precursor to becoming a die-hard supporter.

BTS (image unrelated) | Big Hit Music

2. Ipdeok

When taste-testing a group just isn’t enough and you can’t help but become a full fan, that’s where the word ipdeok comes in. A compound word meaning to start deep-diving into something, Koreans use the term ipdeok when they become a fan of something (such as an idol group).

BLACKPINK (image unrelated) | YG Entertainment

Along the same thread, you may heard Korean fans use the term ipdeok point—the point at which one became a fan of their favorite idol or group. Naturally, this varies from person to person; a display of talent may be the ipdeok point for one fan, while another’s ipdeok point may be a visual element.

EXO (image unrelated) | SM Entertainment

There’s also ipdeok bujeonggi. Bujeonggi means “a period of denial”—in this case, the period where some people deny they’ve become a fan of a certain idol or group. This often happens to fans who are already strong supporters of another star.

TWICE (image unrelated) | JYP Entertainment

3. Neutdeok

If you’re the kind of fan who tends to get into groups that are well-established, you’ll relate to the term neutdeok: someone who became a stan late into an idol’s career. Korean fans often use this word when they’re embarrassed to be so late to the party.

NCT (image unrelated) | SM Entertainment

4. Dadol

Ever noticed how Korean fans frown upon being a “multi-stan,” or biasing more than one group? It should come as no surprise that they have a word to describe the phenomenon of supporting multiple idols: dadol.

Red Velvet (image unrelated) | SM Entertainment

5. Deoktongsago

Deoktongsago is a combination of the words deokjil (deep-diving) and gyotongsago, which means “car accident.” Put together, this term means to suddenly become a fan of an idol out of nowhere, almost like a road accident. Almost every international fan can relate to the feeling of suddenly being hit with a new idol love.

TXT (image unrelated) | Big Hit Music

6. Chiyeosseo

Want an even more extreme word to describe suddenly becoming a fan? Try chiyeosseo; in everyday language, it means “to be hit by a heavy object,” but Korean fans use it to describe the almost violent nature of quickly and shockingly falling for an idol.

ITZY (image unrelated) | JYP Entertainment

7. Gamgyeosseo

Of course, not all instances of becoming interested in an idol are so sudden and unexpected. When fans are drawn in by an idol who’s trying to charm everyone with their fan service, they use the term gamgyeosseo.

SEVENTEEN (image unrelated) | Pledis Entertainment

8. Seumyeodeureosseo

And then there are those times when you start to become a fan slowly. You may not have intended it, but an idol or group draws you in over time without you even realizing. The Korean K-Pop fan term for this is seumyeodeureosseo, which roughly translates to soaking in.

Source: Hanteo News