Fandom
Bias culture, fan behavior, and the things that make this whole thing make sense
Acting cute on purpose.
Idols traveling through airports is its own content genre.
Short for akseong gaein (악성 개인팬), a solo stan who actively tears down other members to prop up their favorite.
Your favorite member in a K-pop group.
A ranked list of your favorite idols across groups.
A member who keeps threatening to dethrone your bias.
Specific chants fans shout during a song's performance, usually the members' names during the intro or specific lyrics during the chorus.
An official event where fans meet the group in person.
The official name a group gives their fans.
Intentional actions idols do to make fans happy: winking at cameras, blowing kisses, playing up ship dynamics, doing cute things fans request.
A path of flowers, used as a wish for idols to only walk on beautiful, successful paths.
An official light-up device in a group's colors and design that fans bring to concerts.
Fans purchasing multiple copies of the same album to boost sales numbers, collect different versions, or pull specific photocards.
Someone who stans multiple groups.
One True Pairing.
Small collectible photo cards included in albums, randomly distributed.
An obsessive fan who invades idols' privacy.
Pairing two members together as a couple, real or imagined.
Someone who only follows one member of a group rather than the whole group.
To be a dedicated fan.
Short for ultimate.
Music
Comebacks, albums, charts, and music shows
When a song hits #1 simultaneously on all major Korean music charts (Melon, Genie, Bugs, FLO, VIBE).
Any track on an album that isn't the title track.
When a group releases new music and starts promotions.
The overall theme, aesthetic, and vibe of a comeback or a group's identity.
The best dancers in a group.
A video of the group performing their choreography in a practice room, usually in casual clothes with a fixed camera.
The close-up camera shot of a member at the end of a music show performance.
A standard-length album, usually 10+ tracks.
SBS's Sunday music show.
The talking segment during a concert where members address the audience between songs.
An EP with about 4-7 tracks.
KBS's Friday music show.
Weekly Korean TV shows where idols perform their comeback songs and compete for a win.
The rappers in a group.
A re-release of an existing album with 2-3 new songs added and new packaging.
Chart manipulation through bulk purchasing or artificial streaming.
The main promoted song from an album.
The singers in a group, as distinct from the rap line.
Industry
The trainee system, agencies, awards, and how idols are made
The entertainment company that manages a K-pop group.
Main prize.
The member who stands in the middle during choreography and key moments.
Grand prize.
A group's or soloist's first official release.
When an agency stops promoting or giving comebacks to a group, effectively shelving them.
The Korean Wave.
A K-pop performer.
Korean popular music, but really it's an entire entertainment system.
The second-strongest dancer in the group (main dancer is #1).
The strongest singer in the group.
Award given to the best new group or artist who debuted that year.
Competition shows where trainees compete for spots in a new group.
A person training at an entertainment company with the goal of debuting as an idol.
The member officially designated as the group's visual, meaning the one whose face the company considers most aligned with Korean beauty standards.
Honorifics
Korean age culture, titles, and how to address your idols correctly
Younger sibling, used by both genders.
Junior or successor, someone who debuted after you.
Older brother, used by males.
The youngest member of a group.
Older sister, used by males.
Older brother, used by females.
Senior or predecessor, used for someone who debuted before you.
Older sister, used by females.
Variety & Content
Variety shows, behind-the-scenes, and the content machine
Behind-the-scenes content showing what happens during music video shoots, photo shoots, concerts, and practice.
Eating broadcast.
Many K-pop groups get their own reality series, especially around debut or comebacks.
Korean entertainment shows featuring games, challenges, and comedy segments.
Live broadcasting platforms where idols go live to chat with fans in real time.
Social Media
Fancams, streaming culture, and how fans run the internet
A fan-recorded video focused on a single member during a performance.
Self-camera.
Organized, coordinated mass-playing of music videos and songs to boost chart positions.