New words in Oxford English Dictionary highlight Korean cultural wave

Thanks to K-pop and the rise of blockbuster Korean films such as "Parasite", South Korean culture continues to gain popularity worldwide and the latest update in the Oxford English Dictionary proves it.

The dictionary recently added 26 new words that are related to Korean music, cuisine, language, and culture. 

The K prefix, for words like K-drama, K-pop, and K-beauty products, was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2016. 

The list of new words includes Hallyu, Aegyo, and hanbok, among others. Moreover, the Korean cultural wave has made BTS one of the most popular bands across the world, and Netflix's "Squid Game" (2021) has equally increased the interest in Korean culture.   

The new Korean words in the Oxford English Dictionary make it clear that there is more to Korean cuisine than its staple food, kimchi. New food-related words include bulgogi (thin slices of beef or pork) and chimaek (Korean-style fried chicken and beer).

 As stated by the Oxford English Dictionary, the adoption and development of these Korean words in English also demonstrate how lexical innovation is no longer confined to the traditional centres of English in the United Kingdom and the United States.