In a Japanese TV car commercial, a model naturally says "Gwaenchanayo" (It's okay) in Korean, and in a Japanese drama, a male lead character casually delivers lines in Korean.

In Japanese popular culture, advertisements, and everyday conversations, local Generation Z is increasingly using Korean words or slightly modified expressions.

This phenomenon reflects the spread of a newly coined term called "Han-gon-eo," a portmanteau of Korean and Japanese.

The U.S. daily The New York Times highlighted this trend in an article published on the 1st (local time) titled "The Unexpected Source of Japan's New Slang: Korean."

Comparing it to the historical era about 100 years ago during the Japanese colonial period when the Korean language was suppressed, The New York Times reported that the current rise in Korean language usage in Japan is evidence of the global appeal of South Korean culture.

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

The New York Times noted that starting around 2018, when BTS and BLACKPINK sparked global crazes, the tendency for Japanese youths to accept and enjoy the Korean language without resistance became distinct.

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

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

Experts cite the low linguistic barrier—due to the phonological similarities between Korean and Japanese and their geographical proximity—as the background for this trend.

In particular, as people spent more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, the increased opportunities to encounter South Korean content had a major impact.

Furthermore, because Japanese lacks exact equivalents for terms of address like "hyeong" (older brother for males) and "eonni" (older sister for females), these terms were adopted directly and have become widely used in Japan as well.

Choi Eun-kyung, a professor in the Department 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 using Korean is "a way to express affection for K-pop or K-culture."

(Photo: Yonhap News)