tmi

TMI emerged in English-speaking countries around 1999, but in Korea, it began to spread primarily on Twitter in late 2017. It gained widespread popularity as trivial and unnecessary information about politicians was turned into "jjalbangs" (image macros) and disseminated across the internet.

TMI is an acronym for 'Too Much Information,' meaning 'excessive information.' In English-speaking countries, it primarily refers to unnecessary details that are unpleasant or undesirable to hear, such as information about bodily functions (excretion, vomiting) or sexual remarks. It's often used as a critical expression to cause discomfort to the listener. In Korea, however, it has deviated from its original meaning and is often used to refer to 'information one doesn't necessarily need to know' or 'superfluous details.' Sometimes, it's even used to describe 'useful or helpful information.' It's used in a similar context to terms like '설명충' (seolmyeongchung - someone who over-explains), '안물안궁' (anmulangung - 'didn't ask, not curious'), and '누물보' (numulbo - 'who asked?').

Tee-Em-Eye

The TMI meme is widely used among internet and social media users. It's particularly prevalent in celebrity fandom culture and YouTube content. While used across all generations, it is more frequently encountered among those aged 10s to 30s who are familiar with internet culture.

• "My TMI is that I put on my socks right after waking up this morning."
• "This is a bit TMI, but I didn't sleep well last night, so I'm really tired now."
• Celebrities use expressions like "TMI release" when sharing trivial daily life details or behind-the-scenes stories with their fans.

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Since TMI is used in English-speaking countries with a negative connotation, referring to unpleasant or undesirable information, using it in the Korean context when speaking with foreigners can lead to misunderstandings. Furthermore, even within Korea, directly calling someone's statement "TMI," especially if they are in a higher position, can be considered a serious breach of etiquette, so caution is advised.