A Study on the Japanese Neologism “Tsundere” : Focusing on Its Adaptation Process in Korea

This study investigates the patterns of usage of the Japanese–derived neologism “tsundere”, which was introduced into Korea primarily through Japanese manga and animation. To this end, data were collected and analyzed with a particular focus on occurrences in Google Trends, Instagram, and newspaper articles. The principal findings may be summarized as follows. First, the earliest instance of tsundere in Korean print media appeared in a newspaper article in 2007. At that time, the term had not yet achieved widespread public recognition, and explanatory notes were frequently provided alongside its usage to clarify its meaning. A period of pronounced popularization can be observed between 2016 and 2019, during which the term gained broader social circulation. Notably, in social networking contexts, tsundere was predominantly associated with male referents, as indicated by frequent collocational patterns such as tsundere oppa, tsundere son, tsundere husband, tsundere father, tsundere man, tsundere boyfriend, tsundere groom, and tsundere hyung. Second, the usage of the term increased in television entertainment programs, wherein tsundere was invoked as a defining trait of certain characters. Representative examples include Infinite Challenge, We Got Married, and Running Man. Third, the term was also identified in a number of Korean dramas, which provided representative cases of tsundere usage. Importantly, even when the same term was employed, subtle variations in its characterization could be discerned depending on narrative and contextual factors. Fourth, the trajectory of the popularization of tsundere within Korean society can be divided into four distinct phases. In the mid–to–late 2000s, the term was introduced through Japanese animation and related online communities, where its use was largely confined to specific fandom subgroups. In the early 2010s, the term entered the domain of mainstream television, appearing in variety shows and dramas, most often in reference to male characters. After 2015, its application expanded further, frequently employed to describe the traits of male drama protagonists. Subsequently, the term underwent broader cultural diffusion through digital platforms such as YouTube and social networking services, where it was actively contentified in forms such as “tsundere moment” and “tsundere male lead.”