[onisegawa]

ban mal?....what exactly does that mean? sorry call me a noob but I really don't know xD

[Denied86]

Ehh good question, I was wondering that too..

The topic looked interesting so I dropped by to take a look. I so agree!

In my opinion, it's just plain weird for people who are not korean to go around calling celebrities oppas and unnies. It just feels so unnatural, it's like an asian chinese trying to use an american slang, for lack of a better example (no offense though).

But in the end, there's nothing much we can do but grin and bear with it, or if it's a friend who's doing it, smack her on the head each time she does it, lol! Kidding of course!

[mofo]

lol who cares. of all the things to make a thread about haha
i use it whenever i can and i'm a guy haha. hate on that!

[Denied86]

Just curious but I thought guys call other guys hyung or dongseng?

[mofo]

^
i think guys call older guys hyung..and they call younger girls dongsengs..but i don't care. when i see girls acting cute saying oppa i copy them lol. they're not the only ones who can act cute

[AnikiJin]

ban mal?....what exactly does that mean? sorry call me a noob but I really don't know xD

Ban Mal is a informal way of speaking Korean. It could be like slangs and no respect/polite terms in the speaking. Only be used among friends or younger people you know well.


ok... just to annoy every one

OPPPPPPPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ??


-- did i make you mad?

[MythnoonA]

ban mal?....what exactly does that mean? sorry call me a noob but I really don't know xD

I wouldn't call you a noob for not knowing. It's informal (familiar) speech...something you'd use with people younger than you, with people in same age group, or those really close to you...but not to much older people (you'd never really say something like, 'hey dude' to a grandfather type. lol). So maybe if Minwoo knew these girls well--it would be okay with him if they called him by his name only.

edit: oops AnikiJin beat me to it

OPPPPPPPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ??

did you whine it?

when i see girls acting cute saying oppa i copy them lol. they're not the only ones who can act cute

lol

[thesweetestkrn]

oppa is widely used in korea anyways.
gasoos prefer it.

i remember reading an old flytothesky interview (told you it was old, ftts is not really that big anymore)
and they prefer it when fans call them "brian oppa", "hwanhee oppa"
and they find it rude when fans just say their first names.
fans use it to show their adoration & respect to their fave celebs.
they feel "close" to them by keeping up with their news, media etc.

i think adding sshi to someones name should be used with your peers whom you're not too close with, or strangers whom you're unsure of their seniority...

that's exactly what i said
thank you!
=D
i do it out of respect and admiration

[onisegawa]

ahhh icic! so that's what ban mal means =) learn something new everyday! thx for providing with such good knowledge

[jshat4]

If fans aren't supposed to call him Minwoo, what are they supposed to call him? Sir/King/His Royal Highness Minwoo? *rolls eyes* It's not really like he's their parents age or anything.

It's all but just terms that people define, and I think people get too fussy about it. But then again, Korean culture is supposedly very tight about things like these.

[melkimx]

In my opinion, it's just plain weird for people who are not korean to go around calling celebrities oppas and unnies. It just feels so unnatural, it's like an asian chinese trying to use an american slang, for lack of a better example (no offense though).

well... i never had a problem with non-koreans using korean terms of respect toward korean people. i think it can be endearing and i think they have about as much right as ethnic koreans to say it.

Along with acting dumb, saying... "I dont think its fair" etc. etc.

"i don't think it's fair"?

the only time i would ever refer to a guy as oppa is if 1) he was significantly older than me (read: not eleven months older), 2) he was old-school enough to expect it, and 3) he had earned my basic respect. otherwise, i think the people i know would laugh if i were to use that term. on the other hand, i actually like being called unni or noona, so who knows?

is there an age at which a person is no longer referred to as noona/unni or hyung/oppa, or is it relative to the other person's age? my mom was in a situation where my dad's friend's new wife called her "unni". my mom told me she found this strange, but i couldn't figure out if that was because the new wife was not that much older than myself, or maybe because she's not used to the term "unni" anymore (i don't know if this is the case; i'm not in the habit of monitoring these things).

[I like jelly]

for me, i think that word should be used by koreans. period.
i find using the word 'oppa' by other races so loosely just takes the real definition of the word away.
i don't understand how everyone/anyone can call some other guy that.
i respect if you're korean and you call other older koreans that. but if you aren't, don't use it because it's just so poser-like. just stick to your culture and that's it.
i find it absolutely irking when some random girl just call someone else that.
whether it should be used among koreans and their celebrities is the koreans' own problem.
i'm just speaking from a non-korean viewpoint and how it irks me to hear it used by non-koreans.
but yet again, that's just my viewpoint and i don't really care that much because it doesn't affect me and my immediate friends don't do that.

I think that's a very narrow view. Yes, different cultures have different speech or what not, but what's wrong with a a non-Korean person using Korean terms? especially when he/she uses it towards another Korean person? I'm Chinese myself, I have a few close male friends who are 4-6 years older that are Korean, I address them by their name + oppa, for me, it's a sign of respect, and they appreciate that.

I call a friend of mine's grandma "nana" because her and her whole family is very dear to me and we're very close.. but wait.. That's an American slang..and I'm not white.. I guess I shouldn't even use the word " nana" then .... right?














-----

In response to the original topic: The term " oppa " doesn't irritate me in anyway, mostly b/c I don't really think there's anything wrong for a younger girl to use the term " oppa " toward an older male. even if it is a celebrity, I think most Asian celebrities would rather be addressed as "oppa" or "older brother " figure than Mr. ____ (insert their last name), or just straight up by name. I tend to believe most of fan girls address their favorite male idols that way out of respect.

[rotten_sherry]

Ohohohhoo....so I am still childish, ah? I like to use 'Oppa' too. (Background user : non-Korean)
But I am not using it too frequently since I think, yeah....this is a word for older man who close to us (or I consider it as : "I love"). However, I call some of my favorite celebrities as 'Oppa' because I think they are deserve to receive that kind of nice nick. But using too many 'Oppa' word really annoying lately....



SG Fighting!
xxx

[YELL;OH]

If fans aren't supposed to call him Minwoo, what are they supposed to call him? Sir/King/His Royal Highness Minwoo? *rolls eyes* It's not really like he's their parents age or anything.

It's all but just terms that people define, and I think people get too fussy about it. But then again, Korean culture is supposedly very tight about things like these.

maybe i'm the only one who found your comment slightly culturally ignorant. it's just the way our culture is, we put heavy emphasis on respect. if you don't agree with it, then be thankful that you aren't korean because you'd probably get beat down for being disrespectful.

younger fans SHOULD refer to minwoo as 'minwoo oppa' because it would be disgustingly rude to only refer to him directly by name. & btw~ if minwoo were their parents age, calling him 'oppa' would seem twice as weird.

[Aziraphale]

^ Okay, so how about fans older than Minwoo? For example, fans in their thirties - I believe Minwoo is 28 this year. Do they call him Minwoo, or Minwoo-sshi, or Minwoo oppa? Or something else altogether?

[Irysinon]

^ Okay, so how about fans older than Minwoo? For example, fans in their thirties - I believe Minwoo is 28 this year. Do they call him Minwoo, or Minwoo-sshi, or Minwoo oppa? Or something else altogether?

No, they'd call him Minwoo Dongseng and THAT sounds stranger. But, just Minwoo would be fine and he wouldn't be able to make a deal out of it.

I bow and say "ahn nyung ha seh yo" to Korean strangers all of the time, not because I respect the person, but because it's manners I've been taught by my parents. I hate it though. If people want my respect, they need to earn it first. I'm not one of those people that just internally respect any stranger that's older than I am and especially when they think their 'age' is what gives them instant respect. Another reason why I hate being Korean.

[WhiteMorningStar]

I reserve the word "oppa"
for my blood-relatives and people
who I consider my family.

It's too loosely used these days and
I'm really annoyed by Koreans
I don't know or I'm not that close to
asking me to call them "oppa" or
"unnie."

[<3goesDOKIDOKI]

^ Okay, so how about fans older than Minwoo? For example, fans in their thirties - I believe Minwoo is 28 this year. Do they call him Minwoo, or Minwoo-sshi, or Minwoo oppa? Or something else altogether?

haha its better to call him minwoo sshi.
calling someone you dont know just by their first name is rude.

and if you're older than minwoo calling him "oppa" is just plain weird.
hes younger than you!



its not just this way in korea...
its like this in japan too.

you wouldn't call people you're not close friends with by the first name.
thats too intimate and people would get weirded out.

at the same time you wouldn't just say their last name, thats too rude.
thats why its always [insert last name]-san.

the hardest part is when you're trying to become closer friends... use the wrong speech and they'll get pissed off or weirded out.

[AnikiJin]

To be honest, as I revealed before, I have called waiters or waitress "Waiter Oppa" or "Unnie" many many many times in Korea. They are ... 10 plus years younger than me.

Also if I ever to call Minwoo, i will say "MinWoo-Goon" ... just my preference.

Korean language is very hard because addressing and calling people are differ at times and situation.

[MythnoonA]

haha its better to call him minwoo sshi.
calling someone you dont know just by their first name is rude.

and if you're older than minwoo calling him "oppa" is just plain weird.
hes younger than you!

I know someone like that. >< She's 30-something and insists on calling one of our gasoo 'oppa', and he's 29. He's tried to explain to her gently that she shouldn't call him that because she's the noona. We tried to tell her it embarrasses him, too. I think she was just in love with the idea of calling him oppa. She didn't do it with anyone else.

and yeah, I always add 'shi' to someone's name even if they're younger than me, at least until I know them better.