Aegyo

Aegyo
( ) in Korean refers to a cute display of affection often expressed through a cute voice, changes to speech, facial expressions, or gestures. A similar expression is . literally means behaving in a flirtatious, coquettish manner and it is commonly expected for both male and female K-pop idols. However, it is not uncommon for everyday people to behave in such a way, and is widely used as an expression of affection towards loved ones, family, and friends. can also display closeness with others, which can possibly bring people together. The word is often translated as "cuteness" in English, and can be compared to the Chinese concept of , or the Japanese concept of .
Background
plays a huge role in South Korean popular culture, especially in idol girl groups. The higher-registered girl voice popular in girl groups in Korea has been dominant since the first successful female k-pop group S.E.S. emerged in 1997. This style has grown in popularity since then. A famous example of that exaggerated cuteness is the Girls' Generation music video for "Gee", which features much use of hands pointing at, touching, and framing the face when showing the girls in turn. One of their many song and dance videos, many of Gee's dance moves are based on . as a personal trait of Girls' Generation member Sunny was described as "cuteness that calls for a punch", not as an actual complaint, but as a recognition of the degree to which can be taken.
Although more common among female idol groups, male groups often perform as part of their fanservice. The , or youngest member of a group, is often (but not exclusively) the one encouraged to perform . Another member may get a better response from fans, or be better suited due to physical or emotional characteristics. For some performers, is merely an extension of their own normal behavior, encouraged by the groups' producers.
As performers evolve from "youth" to "young adult" images, the in their performances often evolves, becoming an almost-nostalgic homage to the performers' earlier stage image. They will "put on the character" briefly for fun and to satisfy fan expectation, in the same way they will sing their earliest hits. Some traces of will continue as persistent traits.
A pro-forma version of may become tradition for certain circumstances, such as when idols perform the "Gwiyomi" song, with actions made popular by the South Korean rapper Jung Ilhoon of BtoB.
Puzar argues that in popular culture affects how young South Korean women act, especially in romantic relationships. Using cute hand gestures and expressions in photos, for example, are commonly seen behaviors in many young women in South Korea.
Linguistics
Aegyo is not limited to simply "acting cute," and includes several changes to speech, such as affrication, stopping, and /j/ insertion. Aegyo is essentially baby talk, with these changes to speech meant to mimic children. For example, replacing yo (Korean: 요) at the end of a phrase with yong (Korean: 용).
Relation to gender roles and sexism
Aegyo is also essentially a manifestation of patriarchy and gender roles in everyday life. South Korean women are often pressured or sometimes even lightly requested to perform Aegyo in certain settings with women being the primary individuals engaging in such behavior. The Asia Pacific Journal of Anthropology describes Aegyo as a "layered phenomenon standing in productive relations with other ideas and concepts typical of Korean remaining hierarchical (patriarchal and gerontocratic) societal organisation."
See also
Bishōjo
Bishōnen
Burikko
Kawaii
Kkonminam
Moe
Ulzzang
References
South Korean culture
South Korean youth culture
Korean words and phrases
Concepts in aesthetics