썸

Sseom

Pronounced like 'sum' or 'some', with the vowel sound similar to the 'uh' in 'cup'.

The expression 'Sseom' originated from 'Something', which was used among university students from the late 1970s. The shortened form 'Sseom' began to be used as an internet slang term after 2011, rapidly gaining widespread popularity around 2014, and continues to be widely used today.

'Sseom' is a neologism referring to the ambiguous interaction between two people who feel a romantic attraction towards each other. It is an abbreviation of the English word 'Something', and in daily life, it is often interpreted as a relationship that is "more than friends, less than lovers." The phrase 'Sseom tada' (to ride sseom) refers to the stage where two people are getting to know each other and becoming close before officially dating. Unlike 'gan boda' (to test the waters, often with a negative connotation), 'Sseom' does not carry a negative nuance or an intentional, manipulative meaning. Some philosophers even describe 'Sseom' as a process of exploring the uncertainty of one's feelings towards another person.

The concept of 'Sseom' is widely used among young generations, especially those in their 20s, who are looking to start a romantic relationship. Among the MZ generation, it is recognized as an important prelude and exploratory stage of dating, and it is a term universally used by both men and women.

• "나 걔랑 썸 타고 있어." (Na gyae-rang sseom tago isseo.)

* Meaning: "I'm 'sseom-ing' with them." (Meaning that two people are mutually attracted and getting to know each other.)

• "우리가 뭐 썸 타는 것도 아닌데." (U-ri-ga mwo sseom ta-neun geot-do a-nin-de.)

* Meaning: "We're not even 'sseom-ing'." (Meaning that since they are not yet in a romantic relationship, there's no need to do a specific action.)

• "썸남" (sseom-nam) and "썸녀" (sseom-nyeo) are used to refer to a man or woman, respectively, with whom one is not officially dating but has mutual romantic interest and the potential to develop a relationship.