Korean · 9 phrases
Aegyo & Fish Farms
Korean romance has an engineering vocabulary: performed cuteness (애교), calibrated push-pull (밀당), and suitors kept stocked like fish (어장관리). Here's the couple-speak, the loaded art of calling someone 오빠, and the flat brush-offs that work when charm won't take the hint.
애교 aegyo EH-gyoh Aegyo — weaponized cuteness: the baby voice, the pout, the wobble. 자기야 jagiya jah-gee-YAH Babe / honey — the default couple's call sign. 밀당 mildang meel-DAHNG The push-and-pull game — calibrated hot-and-cold flirtation. 오빠 oppa OH-ppah Oppa — older brother, boyfriend, crush, or K-pop idol, depending on who's saying it to whom. 바람둥이 baramdungi bah-rahm-DOONG-ee Player / womanizer — a serial flirt with commitment allergies. 어장관리 eojang gwalli uh-jahng-GWAHL-lee Keeping admirers on the line like stocked fish — breadcrumbing, Korean-style. 관심 없어 gwansim eopseo gwahn-sheem UHP-ssuh Not interested — the flat, load-bearing brush-off. 나쁜 놈 nappeun nom nah-ppeun NOHM You bad man / that jerk — the K-drama accusation, tears optional. 꺼져 kkeojyeo kkuh-JYUH Get lost / piss off — you're telling a human to power down.