gwiyomi (귀요미) — Korean Word Meaning

Dictionary — Entry No. 0705

귀요미

gwiyomi · noun

Dictionary beginner

귀요미

gwiyomi

[gwee-YO-mee]

nounbeginner

Meaning

귀요미 is an affectionate slang noun meaning ‘cutie’ or ‘an adorably cute person,’ derived from the adjective 귀엽다 (gwiyeopda — to be cute). It describes someone whose cuteness is endearing and charming, often with a playful, youthful quality. The word gained global reach through a viral K-Pop counting gesture game called the 귀요미 song.

K-Pop & K-Drama Context

The 귀요미 song trend exploded in 2013 when K-Pop idols performed a counting gesture game ending in a cute pose — BtoB’s Ilhoon’s version went massively viral, embedding the word into international K-Pop vocabulary. IVE’s Wonyoung and aespa’s Karina are regularly called 귀요미 by fans for their doll-like visuals and unexpectedly cute off-stage moments. In ‘Strong Woman Do Bong-soon,’ Bong-soon’s deceptively tiny frame leads everyone to treat her as a 귀요미, creating the drama’s central comedic tension since she can lift cars.

Example Sentences

야, 너 진짜 귀요미다!

Ya, neo jinjja gwiyomida!

Hey, you’re such a total cutie! (very casual — only appropriate with close friends or someone younger than you)

우리 막내가 제일 귀요미야.

Uri maengaega jeil gwiyomiya.

Our youngest is the biggest cutie. (common in idol group contexts — 막내 = youngest member, a role associated with aegyo)

귀요미 송 불러줘!

Gwiyomi song bulleojwo!

Sing the gwiyomi song for me! (requesting the iconic aegyo performance — a classic fan-to-idol live event request)

⚠️ Don’t use gwiyomi when…

귀요미 is extremely informal and cutesy — using it toward an older person or in any professional or formal setting is inappropriate and can read as condescending. Second, many fans think 귀엽다 (gwiyeopda) and 귀요미 are interchangeable, but they are not: 귀엽다 is the adjective ‘to be cute’ used in descriptions, while 귀요미 is a playful noun/nickname; you can call someone 귀요미 but you would not say ‘너는 귀요미하다.’

🎵 Heard In

K-Drama: Strong Woman Do Bong-soon — characters repeatedly call Bong-soon a 귀요미 based on her tiny frame and soft appearance, entirely unaware she has superhuman strength
K-Pop: BtoB — Ilhoon’s viral 귀요미 song performance in 2013 introduced the word to international K-Pop fans and sparked a wave of idol aegyo covers

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.

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