Dictionary — Entry No. 0090
동생
dongsaeng · noun
동생
dongsaeng
[dong-SAENG]
nounbeginner
Meaning
동생 (dongsaeng) means younger sibling — and in Korean, the word is completely gender-neutral, covering both younger brothers and younger sisters. Beyond blood relatives, Koreans freely use it for any younger person they share a close bond with, making it a cornerstone of the age-based honorific system that shapes every Korean relationship. When someone calls you their dongsaeng, they are taking on the role of caring older sibling — a title that comes with real emotional responsibility.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
Idol groups run on the hyung/dongsaeng dynamic, and no example is more iconic than BTS — where all six older members (Jin through V) affectionately call Jungkook their dongsaeng, a bond that fuels countless heartwarming BANGTAN BOMB moments. Stray Kids’ leader Bang Chan is famous for fussing over maknae I.N with textbook older-sibling energy, and fans everywhere recognize the word from his live streams. In the beloved drama Reply 1988, the entire Ssangmundong neighborhood looks out for each other’s dongsaengs, showing how deeply the word stretches beyond biology into chosen family.
Example Sentences
제 동생은 아이브 노래를 하루 종일 들어요.
Je dongsaeng-eun Aibeu norae-reul haru jong-il deureoyo.
My younger sibling listens to IVE songs all day long. (A relatable observation from any K-Pop household.)
야, 동생아! 밥 먹었어?
Ya, dongsaeng-a! Bap meogeosseo?
Hey, little one! Did you eat? (The casual warmth of an older sibling checking in — exactly the tone you hear in slice-of-life K-Dramas.)
정국이는 방탄소년단의 막내 동생이에요.
Jeongguk-i-neun Bangtan Sonyeondan-ui maknae dongsaeng-i-eyo.
Jungkook is BTS’s youngest dongsaeng. (Fans use this phrasing to express affectionate, almost protective love for the group’s maknae.)
⚠️ Don’t use dongsaeng when…
- Referring to someone older than you — dongsaeng only applies to people younger than the speaker, and calling an elder your dongsaeng is a genuine social blunder in Korean culture.
- Addressing a stranger as your dongsaeng without an established closeness — jumping straight to this term with someone you just met can come across as presumptuous or even condescending. Let the bond develop first.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: Reply 1988 (응답하라 1988) — the Ssangmundong neighbors constantly look after each other’s dongsaengs, making the word the emotional heartbeat of the whole series.
- K-Pop: BTS — in documentary footage and variety content, members call Jungkook “우리 막내 동생” (our youngest dongsaeng), giving fans a window into the genuine familial bond behind the group.
💡 Did You Know? Unlike English’s “brother” and “sister,” dongsaeng carries zero gender — it is completely neutral by default. To specify, Koreans add 남 (nam, male) or 여 (yeo, female): 남동생 is a younger brother and 여동생 is a younger sister. K-Pop idols often skip the gender marker entirely, keeping “dongsaeng” warmly vague — which is why fan communities have adopted the word to lovingly describe the youngest (maknae) member of a group, regardless of gender.
ℹ️ Editorial Note: The cultural context and example usage are for educational reference only. Artist names, song titles, and drama references are used descriptively to illustrate vocabulary in context. This content is AI-assisted and reviewed for accuracy. For official information, please refer to the respective artists’ or studios’ official channels.