썸
"Talking stage" or "casual flirting before dating" — the in-between phase when two people are interested but not officially together.
- Meaning: "Talking stage" or "casual flirting before dating" — the in-between phase when two people are interested but not officially together.
- Pronunciation: /s͈ʌm/ (sseom)
- Part of speech: noun
- Formality: Casual — for friends, family, and close peers.
- Literal: something (loanword) — the "something is going on" stage
What does 썸 mean?
썸 (sseom) is millennial-era Korean slang for the relationship stage between "interested" and "actually dating." Borrowed from English "something" (as in "something's going on"), 썸 names the texting-flirting-coffee-meeting phase before a couple becomes 사귀다 (sagwida, "to date officially"). The verb form 썸타다 (sseomtada, "to ride 썸") describes being in this stage. K-drama 2010s onward has made 썸 a defining word for modern Korean dating: the back-and-forth, the will-they-won't-they, the messages that hint without committing. Critical for AI conversations about modern Korean dating culture. The conversion phase: 썸 → 고백 (gobaek, confession) → 사귀다 (dating).
Examples in context
When to use 썸
- Describing modern dating "talking stage"
- K-drama / K-vlog dating talk
- Casual gossip with friends
- Texting or social media bios about relationship status
When NOT to use 썸
- Established relationships — use 사귀다 (dating) or 연애 (romance)
- Formal contexts — 썸 is millennial slang
- Older speakers may not know it — context-dependent
Related terms
More in Romance & fate
K-drama romance lexicon — first loves, fated bonds, and "talking stage."
"One-sided love" or "unrequited love" — a crush you never confess, the K-drama trope that drives countless romance plots.
"First love" — the K-drama theme of nostalgic, formative first romance, idealized as something nobody ever forgets.
"Fate" or "destiny" — the K-drama go-to word for romantic fate, predestined meetings, and meaningful coincidences.
"Bond / connection / fated tie" — the Buddhist-rooted concept of meaningful relationships across encounters, popularized in the West by the 2023 film "Past Lives."
Frequently asked questions
What does 썸 mean in Korean dating?
썸 (sseom) is millennial Korean slang for the "talking stage" — the mutually-interested but not-officially-dating phase between two people. Borrowed from English "something" (as in "something's going on"). The verb 썸타다 means "to be in the talking stage."
What is the difference between 썸 and 사귀다?
썸 (sseom) is the unofficial pre-dating phase — flirty texts, coffee meetings, ambiguous status. 사귀다 (sagwida) means "to officially date" — the relationship has been declared. 썸 → 고백 (confession) → 사귀다 is the standard Korean dating timeline.
How long does 썸 usually last?
Variable. Some Korean couples 썸타다 for weeks, others for months. K-drama dramatizes the long, ambiguous 썸 phase as suspenseful. In real Korean dating, friends often nudge: "썸만 타지 말고 고백해" ("don't just stay in 썸 — confess already").
How is 썸 pronounced?
썸 is pronounced [s͈ʌm] — "ssum" with a tense doubled S (sharper and shorter than English "sum"). Single syllable, light. The vowel is between English "uh" and "ah."
More Korean slang?
Browse the full Korean Slang Dictionary or read the deep-dive: Korean Slang Ultimate Guide.