Have you ever been watching a K-drama and seen fans call a scene “goguma” (고구마) or “saida” (사이다)?

One is a sweet potato. The other is a fizzy drink. So what do they have to do with a TV show?

These words make perfect sense to Korean viewers. But if you only know their dictionary meanings, they can sound ridiculous.

And it goes well beyond dramas. K-pop fans have their own vocabulary, and Korean variety shows like Running Man have a language of jokes, challenges, and relationships that subtitles cannot always capture.

Here are 16 Korean expressions you may run into while watching dramas, following idols, or laughing at Korean variety shows—and what Koreans actually mean by them.

1. Goguma and Saida: When a Drama Is Frustrating—or Finally Satisfying

Imagine eating a dry, fluffy sweet potato without any water. That uncomfortable, stuck-in-your-throat feeling is the image behind “goguma” (고구마, sweet potato) in Korean drama talk.

The main character could easily clear up a misunderstanding but refuses to say a word. They keep taking the blame for something they never did. You want to yell at the screen.

“고구마 백 개 먹은 것 같네.” — “It feels like I’ve eaten a hundred sweet potatoes.”

Now imagine the same character finally standing up for themselves and telling everyone exactly what needs to be said.

“와, 사이다다!” — “Wow, that was so satisfying!”

“Saida” (사이다) is the refreshing, satisfying payoff. In Korea, saida is a clear, sweet, carbonated soft drink. The sensation of sudden relief has become a metaphor for a scene that finally releases the tension.

These words usually tell you how viewers feel about the scene, not what the characters are literally eating or drinking.

For the story of how the drink got its Korean name, see the first part of this series: seven everyday Korean loanwords.

2. Makjang and Tteokbap: Crazy Twists and Hidden Clues

A secret birth identity suddenly comes to light. Someone discovers that a trusted friend is connected to an old family enemy. The plot seems to get more outrageous every episode.

Koreans may call that kind of over-the-top story “makjang” (막장). The word often describes melodramatic, implausible twists that push a story well past ordinary realism.

“완전 막장인데 계속 보게 되네.” — “It’s completely over the top, but I can’t stop watching.”

Calling a drama makjang does not always mean the speaker hates it. Sometimes the absurdity is exactly what keeps them watching.

Then there is “tteokbap” (떡밥)—literally something like bait, but in drama discussions it means a clue or teaser planted for a later reveal.

A suspicious character appears for two seconds. Someone says something oddly specific. Fans start wondering whether it means anything.

“저거 떡밥 아니야?” — “Isn’t that a clue they planted?”

When the mystery finally gets explained, viewers may say the writer “떡밥을 회수했다”—paid off the earlier setup. If the show ends without explaining it, people complain that it left the bait hanging.

3. Sseom and Kemi: Romance and Chemistry Aren’t the Same Thing

Two people seem interested in one another, but they are not officially a couple. They notice every little thing the other person does. Everyone around them starts wondering what is going on.

That almost-a-relationship stage is “sseom” (썸). In Korean, to “썸 타다” means to have a budding romantic thing going on with someone.

“저 둘 썸 타는 거 아니야?” — “Is something going on between those two?”

“Kemi” (케미) comes from English chemistry and refers to how naturally or entertainingly two people work together on screen.

Two actors may have great chemistry. So can friends who are constantly bickering, or variety-show cast members who know exactly how to tease each other.

Sseom suggests romantic interest; kemi is about the connection and energy between people. Great on-screen chemistry does not mean the people are dating in real life.

4. Ipdeok, Taldeok and Choeae: Becoming a K-Pop Fan

It often starts with a single song. Then you watch one stage performance, find another video, and before long you know every member’s name.

Congratulations. In Korean fandom language, you have “ipdeok” (입덕)—entered the world of being a devoted fan. The word comes from deokhu (덕후), a Korean fan-geek term derived from Japanese otaku.

“Taldeok” (탈덕) is the reverse: stepping away from the fandom or no longer following the artist closely.

And your “choeae” (최애) is your number-one favorite member or person.

“내 최애는 이 멤버야.” — “This member is my favorite.”

These words have spread outside idol fandom too. Koreans say choeae menu (최애 메뉴) for a favorite dish or choeae yeonghwa (최애 영화) for a favorite movie.

5. Jogong and Yeokjogong: When Fans and Stars Give Gifts

K-pop fandom has two particularly interesting terms: “jogong” (조공) and “yeokjogong” (역조공).

Historically, jogong referred to tribute presented to a ruler or court. In modern fandom slang, it can mean gifts or organized support sent from fans to an artist.

Yeokjogong reverses that direction. It describes gifts, food, or other treats given from the artist to fans. Not every fan or artist does this; it is a term for a particular kind of fan interaction.

A recent story about Korean actor Kim Woo-bin really stayed with me.

At a 2025 fan-signing event, a fan asked him to recommend a perfume. Instead of only naming one, he gave the fan the fragrance he had been using himself.

The story spread online, and he later became an ambassador for the perfume brand Acqua di Parma. Then, in October 2026, another encounter between the actor and the same fan was shared.

Kim had bought a thank-you gift for that fan. He said he kept it in his car because he did not know when he would see the fan again.

What I liked even more was that he had prepared gifts for the other fans who were there, too. He explained that they were not sponsored gifts—he had bought them himself.

Two things impressed me: he remembered one person and kept the gift ready until they met again, and he made sure the others were not left out.

Would every celebrity do that? I don’t think so. To me, those small actions say far more about a person than their fame does.

You can see the fan video shared about the encounter and read a Korean news report of the incident.

6. Comeback: Coming Back Without Going Away

K-pop headlines announce “comebacks” (컴백) all the time. But the singer might have appeared on TV last week. Where exactly did they go?

In K-pop, a comeback usually means releasing new music and starting a new round of promotions. It does not require the artist to have disappeared for years—or even months.

That is why Korean fans talk naturally about a comeback stage (컴백 무대), comeback teaser (컴백 티저), and comeback schedule (컴백 일정).

The word comes from English, but K-pop has given it a more specific everyday meaning.

7. The Running Man Fan in the Philippines Who Knew More Than I Did

Korean entertainment is not just dramas and idol music. I saw how much Korean variety shows matter to overseas fans when I was running a business in the Philippines.

An employee who worked with me was a serious Running Man fan. We talked about films and music as well, but this person was particularly interested in the cast and their relationships.

The employee asked me whether Kim Jong-kook and Song Ji-hyo were really dating—and why they were not a couple. Imagine that: someone in the Philippines asking me, the Korean, about the romantic rumors surrounding Korean TV personalities. Haha.

To be clear, those were questions from a fan, not a claim that the two were in a real-life relationship.

I also remember Lee Kwang-soo attracting a lot of attention there. That is my impression from my time in the Philippines, not an audience ranking.

Recently, I asked my former employee whether they still watch Running Man. The answer was yes—every single week.

Meanwhile, I was not even aware that the program was still running.

The more I think about it, the less surprising it seems. Once you get to know a long-running cast, you are not just watching people play games. You care about their habits, jokes, friendships, rivalries, and chemistry.

That may be why the employee wanted to know so much about Kim Jong-kook and Song Ji-hyo in the first place.

8. Baesinja, Beolchik, Momgaeg and Yeneunggam: Korean Variety-Show Humor

If you watch game-based Korean variety shows, including Running Man, four words will help you understand the humor.

Betrayer (배신자, baesinja) is an ugly label in serious everyday life. In a variety show, though, turning against your teammates can become a running joke—and eventually a cast member’s signature character.

Penalty (벌칙, beolchik) is the punishment or challenge someone must complete after losing a game. Sometimes watching the loser carry out the penalty is more fun than watching who wins.

Physical comedy (몸개그, momgaeg) is humor made with movement, clumsy actions, awkward physical situations, or deliberate slapstick. The joke is not necessarily in the dialogue.

Entertainment instinct (예능감, yeneunggam) means having a knack for making a moment funny on a variety show. The loudest person does not automatically have the best yeneunggam. Sometimes one quiet remark steals the scene.

Korean variety shows amplify those moments through captions, sound effects, editing, and familiar cast personas. Viewers who know the personalities often catch an extra layer of the joke.

What Subtitles Can’t Tell You

The employee I worked with in the Philippines still watches Running Man every week. I, a Korean, did not even realize it was still on.

Maybe knowing Korean entertainment has less to do with nationality than with how much you love it.

Understanding the dictionary definition of a word is one thing. Feeling the frustration of a “goguma” drama, laughing at a variety-show betrayal, or appreciating why a celebrity’s gift matters to fans is another.

Perhaps that is why people everywhere love Korean entertainment: different languages, but a lot of the same feelings.

Have you run into a Korean expression in a drama, K-pop video, or variety show that you could not quite understand? Leave a comment. If I know the answer, I’ll be happy to help.