Dictionary — Entry No. 0616
썸
ssom · noun
썸
ssom
[SSOM (rhymes with ‘some’)]
nounbeginner
Meaning
썸 is borrowed from the English word ‘something’ and refers to the ambiguous pre-dating phase where two people have mutual feelings but have not yet officially defined the relationship. It is Korea’s term for the ‘talking stage’ or ‘almost-dating.’ The phrase 썸 타다 (ssom tada) — literally ‘to ride the 썸’ — means to be actively in this flirtatious in-between state.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
TWICE’s Cheer Up perfectly captures the 썸 phase with its playful hard-to-get energy — the very behavior that keeps both parties in delicious 썸 limbo. The K-Drama Nevertheless (알고도 모르쇼) built its entire plot around two art students trapped in a prolonged 썸 they could not seem to exit, frustrating and captivating viewers in equal measure. IVE’s LOVE DIVE and the broader crush concept in K-Pop idol music frequently describe the dizzy emotional space of 썸 before a confession.
Example Sentences
우리 썸 타는 것 같아.
Uri ssom taneun geot gata.
I think we’re in the 썸 phase. (describing the almost-relationship with mutual awareness)
썸남이 생겼어!
Ssomnam-i saenggyeosseo!
I have a 썸 guy now! (썸남 = the guy you’re in the 썸 phase with; 썸녀 = girl)
썸인지 친구인지 모르겠어.
Ssom-inji chinguinji moreugeseo.
I can’t tell if it’s 썸 or just friendship. (the central anxiety of the 썸 phase)
⚠️ Don’t use ssom when…
썸 is specifically the PRE-dating stage — once two people officially become a couple (사귀다, sagwida), they are no longer in 썸. Also, learn the compounds 썸남 (썸 guy) and 썸녀 (썸 girl) alongside the base word, as they appear constantly in K-Drama recaps and idol fan discussions.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: Nevertheless (알고도 모르쇼) — the entire series is a masterclass in the agony and excitement of 썸 that two people simply cannot seem to move past
- K-Pop: TWICE — Cheer Up
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.