Master your K-fan vocabulary to get the most out of the Hallyu experience. Image: Viu
You see an unfamiliar trending hashtag and got curious, so you clicked. Minutes after, you\u2019re totally immersed in browsing to know more about the Korean names you stumble upon.
You laugh. You find yourself amused. Your curiosity is further piqued. You research further; clicking turns into watching video clips and ends in binge-watching shows.
Congratulations, you have just entered the Hallyu world!
\u201cHallyu\u201d is the term coined by Chinese media to describe the \u201cKorean wave\u201d that swept fans of pop music, TV shows and movies in the region and beyond. Being part of the wave also means you will encounter more unfamiliar terms used by fans and media, terms that make the whole Hallyu experience unique.
To help you get a good grasp of the Hallyu world, here are some of the K-pop fan terms which fans often use on a daily basis:
1. Bias group \u2013 Your favorite idol group.
2. Ultimate bias \u2013 Favorite member from your favorite K-pop group or band. Fans often joke about how hard it is for them to pick their ultimate bias.
3. OTP (One true pairing)\/Ship \u2013 Your favorite combination of personalities in the Hallyu world. It\u2019s similar to the concept of love teams here in the Philippines.
4. \u201cFighting!\u201d \u2013 This means \u201cCheer up!\u201d in Korean. This is their other way of saying \u201cGood luck!\u201d
5. Merch \u2013 Short term for merchandise. These refer to all kind of goods available that feature idol groups.
6. Fan goods \u2013 Some K-pop fans are also creative; that\u2019s why some of them sell fan-made products to their co-fans, specially during concert tours.
7. Sasaeng fan \u2013 Obsessed fan who stalks his\/her idol, even coming to a point of doing illegal actions.
8. Aegyo \u2013The Korean style of showing cuteness, or in Filipino culture, doing pa-cute actions or poses.
9. \u201cDae bak!\u201d \u2013 Korean expression used when something shocking happens, whether in a good or bad way.
10. Maknae \u2013 The youngest member of the idol group.
11. Leader \u2013 The leader of the group. He\/she organizes all the things among members and often acts as the spokesperson during important events.
12. Visual \u2013 The most handsome or the prettiest member in the team.<\/p>\n