둘기

'Dulgi' is a slang term that began to be used among K-POP idol fans starting in the 2010s. It first emerged and spread widely, particularly following the unauthorized departure of an EXO member in 2014.

'Dulgi' is a slang term referring to a member who, during their contract period, did not faithfully participate in group activities and unilaterally left the group or terminated their contract with the agency for reasons difficult to understand. It is not used for members who leave the group or agency after their contract expires and they choose not to renew. If a member neglects group activities and promotions in Korea to focus solely on individual activities in the Greater China region, they are sometimes called 'Jipdulgi' (집둘기, literally 'house pigeon'). The term originated when fans protested against Kris at the airport during his unauthorized departure from EXO, likening the act of protesting to feeding pigeons.

Primarily used within K-POP idol fandoms, it is also used by Korean fandoms of Japanese idols, Japanese fandoms, and even among sports fans.

• "That group had a lot of trouble because of a 'dulgi' from early in their debut."
• "The member who left this time isn't a 'dulgi'; they left because their contract expired."

The term 'dulgi' carries a derogatory connotation, used in negative situations such as a member's unilateral breach of contract or unauthorized departure. Therefore, it should be used cautiously when referring to specific individuals. Care should be taken not to use it for departures due to contract expiration or for activity suspensions caused by external factors not attributable to the member's fault.

"Dool-gee" (stress on the first syllable, 'oo' as in 'moon', 'g' as in 'go', 'ee' as in 'see').