존맛탱(jmt)

"Jonmattaeng" is presumed to have naturally emerged and spread in the mid-2000s, coinciding with a trend of using abbreviations. Initially, it was primarily used in online communities, social media, and blogs, but it gradually appeared on cable and terrestrial entertainment shows, spreading throughout the entertainment and broadcasting industries. In a 2018 survey on neologisms conducted by Albamon targeting people in their 20s, 'Jonmat', 'Jonmattaeng', and 'JMT' collectively ranked first with 46.6% of the votes, proving their popularity.

'Jonmattaeng' is a compound word combining 'jonna' (an intensifier, often vulgar) and 'masitta' (delicious), used as an exclamation to express strong approval of food's taste. It is an endearing variation of the original expression 'jonmat', and 'JMT' is its Romanized abbreviation. Because 'jonmat' often carries a strong vulgar connotation, 'jonmattaeng' or 'JMT' were used more frequently as they felt relatively milder. This expression has become so widely used that it is now even listed in dictionaries. There were also variations like 'JMTGR', an abbreviation of 'Jonmattaengguri', but these were treated as forced memes and did not spread widely.

JMT is pronounced 'Jay-Em-Tee'. The full Korean phrase '존맛탱' (Jonmattaeng) can be approximated as 'Jawn-maht-taeng'.

It was actively used primarily by young people in their teens and twenties, and among those in their twenties, it was even ranked as the most frequently used neologism. As it spread popularly through broadcast media, it is now widely used by both men and women, regardless of age or gender.

• "Wow, this tteokbokki is truly JMT!"
• "The pasta I had for lunch today was Jonmattaeng."
• "I come to this restaurant often because the food is JMT."
• "Noryangjin JMT Food"

• "Stir with your right hand~ Stir with your left hand~ #JMT" (Paldo Bibimyeon promotional slogan)
• "JMT! Do you all know what this is? They say it's 'Jon.Mat.Taeng'." (Actress Park Jung-soo's remark)

The 'jon' in 'Jonmattaeng' originates from 'jonna', which itself is a vulgar term derived from 'jot', a slang word for male genitalia. Therefore, 'Jonmattaeng' is also considered a near-vulgar expression and should not be used in formal settings, conversations with elders, or official occasions. In the early days of its broadcast, there were instances where it was edited out of terrestrial TV shows or celebrities were criticized for using it. Although it is now widely used by the general public, it is still important to be aware of its origin and to use it carefully, considering the situation and the person you are speaking to.