Japanese People Saying "Gwaenchanha" and "Hyeong"... The Spread of "Hanbon-eo"

In a Japanese TV car commercial, a model says "Gwaenchanayo" in Korean, and in a Japanese drama, a male lead actor naturally delivers lines in Korean.

Instances of local Generation Z using Korean words or slightly modified versions of them in Japanese pop culture, advertisements, and daily conversations are on the rise.

A newly coined term combining Korean and Japanese, dubbed "Hanbon-eo" (Korean-Japanese), is spreading.

The New York Times highlighted this phenomenon in an article published on November 1 titled "The Surprising Origin of Japan's New Slang: Korean."

Comparing it to the history of Korean being suppressed during the Japanese colonial period about 100 years ago, The New York Times reported that the increasing use of Korean in Japan today is evidence of the global appeal of Korean culture.

The analysis suggests that thanks to the success and influence of Korean culture, including K-pop, K-dramas, and K-beauty, the Korean language has deeply penetrated the culture of Japan's younger generation.

The New York Times pointed out that starting around 2018, when BTS and BLACKPINK sparked a global craze, Japanese youths clearly began embracing and enjoying Korean language without hesitation.

Takamatsu Moeka, a Tokyo-based university student and K-pop fan, told The New York Times that she frequently mixes Korean words like "진짜" (jinjjja - really) and "미안해" (mianhae - sorry) into her daily conversations.

She stated, "I don't know anything about Korea, but because it's trending on social media, I find myself frequently using words like 'Gwaenchanha' (it's okay)."

Experts cite the linguistic similarities between Korean and Japanese phonological systems and their geographical proximity as factors lowering the language barrier.

In particular, increased time spent at home during the COVID-19 pandemic provided more opportunities to consume Korean content, which had a major impact.

Additionally, because there are no exact equivalents in Japanese for terms of address like "Hyeong" (older brother) or "Eonni" (older sister) used by younger females, these terms were adopted as-is and have become widely used in Japan.

Choi Eun-kyung, a professor of Korean language at Kansai University in Japan, said, "Korean has become a language that anyone can easily use, even if they are not of Korean descent," explaining that the use of Korean is "a way to express affection for K-pop or K-culture."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.