Dictionary — Entry No. 0057
선배
sunbae · noun
선배
sunbae
[SEON-bae]
Noun
Intermediate
Meaning
선배 (sunbae) refers to someone who is your senior — a person who joined a school, workplace, or organization before you and therefore holds a higher standing in that hierarchy. Written with the hanja 先輩, it literally means “one who came before.” It is both a title and a term of address, similar to calling someone “senior” or “upperclassman” in English, though in Korean culture it carries a much stronger sense of respect and relational duty.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
In idol culture, 선배 is used constantly — rookie groups bow deeply and show deference to sunbae groups who debuted earlier, regardless of age. You’ll often hear idols in interviews say things like “우리 선배님들이 정말 대단해요” when praising legendary acts like BTS or BLACKPINK. In K-Dramas, the sunbae–hubae dynamic drives countless storylines, from school romances where the cool upperclassman falls for a bright junior, to office dramas built on the tension between mentorship and competition.
Example Sentences
저 선배한테 많이 배웠어요.
Jeo sunbae-hante mani baewosseoyo.
I learned a lot from that sunbae.
선배님, 이 노래 정말 잘 부르세요!
Sunbaenim, i norae jeongmal jal bureuseyo!
Sunbae, you really sing this song so well!
우리 선배 그룹은 정말 열심히 연습했어요.
Uri sunbae geurubeun jeongmal yeolsimhi yeonseuphaesseoyo.
Our senior group practiced really hard.
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.