The Oxford English Dictionary has incorporated eight new words from South Korean culture in its latest quarterly update, reflecting the growing influence of Korean food, customs, and daily life on global English. Announced on January 8, 2024, this update demonstrates how terms from the Korean language have increasingly found their way into English, paralleling the global rise of K-culture.
Among the newly added words are ajumma, a term commonly used to describe a middle-aged or older woman; sunbae, meaning a senior colleague or mentor; and jjimjilbang, a large communal bathhouse that offers saunas, lounges, and sleeping areas. Another addition is officetel, which combines “office” and “hotel” to describe mixed-use residential buildings prevalent in South Korea.
Food-related terms also made their debut. Ramyeon, Korea’s version of instant noodles, and bingsu, a shaved-ice dessert topped with ingredients such as red beans, fruit, or condensed milk, have been recognized. Notably, the phrase Korean barbecue has been added for the first time, marking a significant inclusion as it encompasses a variety of grilled meat dishes. The first citation of this term dates back to a 1938 article in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
Another significant entry is haenyeo, referring to the traditional female free divers from Jeju Island. Their unique seafood-harvesting practices have garnered international attention due to their cultural significance, highlighting another facet of Korean heritage.
This latest update follows a recent trend of Korean-origin words entering the dictionary, building on the addition of seven words in 2023 and a larger group of 26 terms introduced in September 2021. This pattern coincides with rising global interest in Korean popular culture, frequently referred to as the Korean Wave or hallyu.
In a statement from Oxford Languages, scholar Simon Barnes-Sadler discussed the relationship between the addition of Korean words and the rise of hallyu. “While words of Korean origin have been attested in English texts stretching back to the nineteenth century, a large number of such words have been added since 1997, the year to which the beginning of the Korean Wave is conventionally attributed,” he explained. He also noted that many Korean-origin words still appear infrequently in English-language sources tracked by the OED, raising questions about their future in everyday usage.
First published in 1884, the Oxford English Dictionary is widely acknowledged as the definitive record of the English language. It comprises over 500,000 words and phrases from both past and present usage, tracing their evolution through millions of quotations from diverse sources, including books, academic publications, news articles, and social media.
The inclusion of these words not only enriches the English language but also serves as a testament to the cultural exchange between South Korea and the rest of the world, reflecting a growing appreciation for its diverse traditions and culinary offerings.
