ㅋㅋ
| Internet slang | |
| Pronunciation | "kiki," "keukeu," "keuk-keuk," "kick-kick," |
|---|---|
| Origin | PC game chat culture |
| Meaning | Expression of laughing |
ㅋㅋ is a Korean Internet slang. It represents the sound of laughter using 'ㅋ', one of the consonants in the Korean Language. It is generally interpreted as a shortened form using only the initial consonant–of onomatopoeic sounds like "kiki," "keukeu," "keuk-keuk," or "kick-kick". and it can convey various meanings and nuances depending on the number of "ㅋ" characters used and the context.[1]
ㅋㅋ originated in Korean online communication as a consonant-only representation of laughter, generally associated with expressions such as 크크크. Its precise first use is unknown, but it is believed to have emerged in the early Korean online and PC-game chat culture. When people used the right hand for the mouse, people started to type 'ㅋㅋ' with the left hand.[2]
The Internet slang is widely used in SMS messages, blogs, comments, and emails.[3]
Usage
[edit]'ㅋㅋ' is used when expressing laughter. Since digital communication cannot directly convey the visual act of laughing, onomatopoeic pronunciations are used, including 'kick-kick', 'keuk-keuk', 'keukeu', and 'ki-ki'. In this regard, a 2001 study interpreted this practice as a method used to add a sense of fun to communication by representing words using only consonants.[4]
The numbers of 'ㅋ' can differentiate the feeling and meaning. Lee Je-hyun, a cultural crictic who researches neologistic words, has categorised them as follows:[3]
- 'ㅋ' - Normally, it is used when casually aggreeing or mocking.[1] When attatched to the end of a word, it conveys a sense of slight amusement rather than actual laughter, such as '그래ㅋ' (Okayㅋ), '좋네ㅋ' (Goodㅋ), and '올ㅋ' (Niceㅋ). In the other hand, '뭐해?ㅋ' (What are you doingㅋ), '미안ㅋ' (Sorryㅋ) serves the function of clichéd, superfluous chatter.
- 'ㅋㅋ' - It has one more 'ㅋ' than the one above, yet it actually feels more formal. In a positive side, it can mean ‘I see.'. In a slightly bad side, In conversation, it gives the impression of conventionally inserting interjections. 'ㅋㅋ' has been ranked as the most disliked, insincere texting style among single men and women. According to a study, using ‘ㅋㅋ’ in public or formal situations, such as when speaking with a supervisor, may be perceived as unprofessional.[5]
- ㅋㅋㅋ - Three 'ㅋ's are relatively neutral and the most used usage. It has the nuance that directly conveys the feeling of laughing.
- ㅋㅋㅋㅋ... - From this point onward, it conveys the impression of making a deliberate effort to express the reaction ‘that is really funny.’ Four or more instances have little difference in their implied meaning or emotional intensity. In this respect, ‘ㅋㅋㅋㅋ’ can be regarded as the minimum form that effectively conveys genuine amusement.[1]
Cultural effect
[edit]- According to the '2007 Information Culture Analysis Report' published by the Korea Agency for Digital Opportunity and Promotion, a survey of 896 teenagers on the frequency of Internet slang usage found that 'ㅋㅋ' was the most frequently used expression.[6]
- A survey conducted by Tillion Pro, a surveying platform operated by SM C&C, involved 4025 people aged 20 to 50. In the subject ‘How much do you use ㅋㅋ?’, 41% of respondents answered 'Usually', 35% 'Sometimes', 15% 'Rarely', and 9% 'Never'. In another subject, respondents replied their reasons for using the Internet slang as follows: 45% for friendliness, 38% for humour, 28% for awkwardness without using it and 17% for economy of language.[2]
- The indie rock band Kiha & The Faces chose 'ㅋ’ as the title track for their fourth full-length album, Who Is an Expert at Love?. The lyrics are based on the experience of sending a carefully made text message only to receive a reply consisting of just the single character 'ㅋ', and the song includes a section that evokes the sound of 'ㅋㅋㅋㅋ...'.[7]
- When Nestle officially launched KitKat in 2016, It has a catchphrase, which is '넌 나의 ㅋㅋ, 넌 나의 킷캣' (Your my ㅋㅋ, I am your KitKat).[8] In the commercial, they pronounced 'ㅋㅋ' as '크크'.
- The expression 'kek' originated from the game StarCraft, whrere the players used 'kek' instead of 'ㅋㅋ'. World of Warcraft, further popularized the term.[9]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 기자, 김지혜 (2022-06-24). "[책과 삶]'ㅋ'과 'ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ'은 왜 다를까? 미묘한 말맛 살려낸 '인터넷 언어 혁신'". 경향신문 (in Korean). Retrieved 2026-08-21.
- 1 2 기자, 박돈규 (2020-07-15). "[아무튼, 주말] ㅋ·ㅋㅋ·ㅋㅋㅋㅋ… 나이 따라 자리 따라 ㅋ 개수가 다릅니다". 조선일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- 1 2 Je-hyun, Lee (2015-07-21). "[이제현의 유행어사전] ㅋㅋㅋ" (in Korean). Hankook Ilbo. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- ↑ "국회도서관 통합뷰어". dlps.nanet.go.kr. August 2001. Retrieved 2026-08-17.
- ↑ Jeon-ho, Lee (2017-12-05). "'퇴준생, 넵병…' 올해 직장인이 공감한 신조어는?" (in Korean). No Cut News. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- ↑ "<통신언어, 우리말이야? 외국어야?>". Yonhap News (in Korean). 2007-05-06. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- ↑ Ha-jin, Kim (2016-06-28). "[어바웃 장기하①] 'ㅋ', 이토록 사랑스럽다니" (in Korean). 텐아시아. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- ↑ "네슬레코리아, 소비자·파트너와 함께 하는 체험행사 개최". 부산일보 (in Korean). 2017-03-15. Retrieved 2026-08-21.
- ↑ "kek | Slang | Dictionary.com". www.dictionary.com. Retrieved 2026-08-25.
External links
[edit]
The dictionary definition of ㅋㅋ at Wiktionary
