How did the chorus SNSD’s ‘Oh!’ go?
Oh Oh Oh Oh 오빠를 사랑해
(Oh! Oh! Oh! Oppa, I love you)
ah ah ah ah 많이 많이해
(Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! A lot, A lot!)
Translation credit: Moonlightunes
Have you ever noticed how almost always, male stars are always ‘oppa’ to all the female fans, regardless of age or age gap? Seriously, the fan might be a middle age working lady and the guy a barely out-of-teens actor/ singer, but he will still be ‘oppa’ to her. In every event that I attended, there were always inevitably shouts of: ‘Oppa! Sarangaheyo!’ but never, never, ever have I heard: ‘Dongseng, Saranghaeyo!’ amongst the frenzied shoutings.
Then again, I have never heard guys shouting: ‘Nuna! Saranghaeyo!’ as well. One would have thought that this ‘older-female-younger-male’ pairing which was ever so popular amongst Korean dramas at one point, I would hear someone shouting ‘nuna’. But there have been so few female artistes/ girl bands (at the last count, less than 5) gracing our shores that I can’t be absolutely sure there aren’t some hormonal-filled young guy who is holding hands with the ever-so-sexy Narsha (Brown Eyed Girls) and calling her ‘nuna’ in his dreams.
In the 3 classic dramas that I reviewed some years ago, the chemistry between the leads were fantastic in ‘Dalja’s Spring‘ and ‘My Name is Kim Sam Soon‘ and made the dramas a joy to watch and their on-screen romance believable. But Chun Jung Myung and Chun Jung Myung in ‘What’s Up Fox‘ was just strange. Hmm… I don’t seemed to remember any of the guys in the dramas calling their 여자친구 ‘nuna’ though…
However, I believe there is another reason why female fans (whatever their age) are so keen on calling their male idols (whatever their age), ‘oppa’. And this has something to do with the Korean language.
Korean language differentiates how one address another, depending on age and gender. So a younger male would call an older female ‘noona’, whereas a younger female would call an older female ‘unnie’. A younger male would call an older male ‘hyung’ and a younger female would call an older male ‘oppa’. Of course, these forms of address can only be used amongst family members and very, very close friends. So please don’t go calling your older male boss ‘oppa’ coz it could very well suggest that he’s your boyfriend. Hehe!
Now back to the Korean language. Don’t you agree that ‘oppa’ has a nice tone and ring to it? I mean,
‘oppa, I missed you’ sounds so much more endearing doesn’t it?
The English language on the other hand has no diferenciation beyond ‘brother’ and ‘sister’. So if you translate the above same song lyrics using English, it would be…
Oh Oh Oh Oh brother, I love you
Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! A lot, A lot!
Not quite the same feel right?
In the current drama that I’m following intently, ‘Midas‘, Jang Hyuk’s character, Kim Do Hyun is enamoured by Yo In Ha (Kim Hee Ae). I’m not quite sure or convinced that he loves her but he certainly wants to be with her for whatever reason now. If ever a romance blossoms between the 2 characters, I doubt very much Kim Do Hyun would ever call Yoo In Ha, ‘nuna’ though. Hehehe! So maybe, it’s just the term ‘oppa’that has this strange appeal.
Despite the appeal of the word ‘oppa’ though, I certainly have no urge to call any banchan of mine ‘oppa’. If I remember correctly, some years ago, a rather obvious elderly Japanese fan called BYJ ‘oppa’. He was rather embarassed about it.
So, no, no, I wouldn’t mind if they call me ‘noona’ at all, particularly this one at the moment…^^ Then again, if he smiles at me like that, he can call me whatever he wants.
Wahahahaha!
This has been a rather mindless, rambling post, which was written more for my own amusement. Thanks for bearing with me. A more normal article will appear in my next post. 🙂
hahahah! I totally understand what you mean! Korean language FTW! Have you mastered the banmal & formal korean language yet?
I’ve never seen any korean artistes up close. Apart from SHINee when they came for e-awards last year but I was sitting 345670987m far away from them! :'(
Do you watch any korean variety shows? For example we got married & running man. Both are superb!
haha..i was thinking of this song just a week ago..
my 4yrs old niece knew how to sing the korean song ‘3 bears’ on her own already until to the extent she sometimes called me on saturday to sing to me…haha..
so i was thinking what song should i teach her now…..haha…and SNSD ‘Oh’ was a much easier song than the rest. But need to find the clip for it so that i can let her watch…keke… she is also learning how to call all of us in korean…kekeke……
sometimes i show her the korean actors picture and asked her ‘who is this?” and she will replied, ‘Oppa’!!! haha.. what to do? she has a korean craze auntie….. ^_^
Yo Tiff,
I recall you watched The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry (still ranks as one of my favorite dramas) – r’ber how resistant Km Bum was about calling Park Jin-hee noona?
Until they broke up – or rather, she broke it up.
Then, to make things clear, he deliberately called her ‘noona’ when they accidentally met at tha TV station. It didn’t go un-noticed … he made his point.
Hi Krystal
I sudied Korean for awhile but can’t say I mastered it. I think conversationally, I could probably catch bits and pieces. But it’s still hard. ^^
Err… I have covered some of the artistes that have been in town- Super Junior, Wonder Girls, Beast etc. You can check under the category Stars in Town.
As for variety shows, I watch 2N1N or Happy Sunday when I have the time…which is not very often. But I agree they are really very entertaining. 🙂
L- hahaha! You are really training your niece very well. I cna’t sing the 3 bears song. Maybe should ask your niece to teach me. I thought the song Nobody would be easier. No?
Hihi jusash
Yes… I remembered that scene. But see, that’s my point. The guys never ever want to call the girlfriend ‘nuna’, but it’s the opposite the other way round.
I guess it’s all to do with this I-want-a-man-to-take-care-of-me image.
What are you watching now? I’m completely hooked on Midas…because of No Min Woo initially and now also because of the rest of the cast and story. Was trying to follow The Duo for a while because of Chun Jung Myung. But he has zero chemistry with all the women (and there are 3!!!!) in the drama. Sigh… I still like him in Fashion 70’s better.
haha, I think you are recently infatuated withNoh Minwoo eh? Me too! I just wish he has a chance to come to singapore, then we can all call him oppa, LOL~
>>>The guys never ever want to call the girlfriend ‘nuna’, but it’s the opposite the other way round …. guess it’s all to do with this I-want-a-man-to-take-care-of-me image.
I don’t think so. More probably, it’s that male ego thing. It would drive in the point perhaps he’s not in charge … ‘noona’ is? (heaven forbid).
Nothing wrong with that to us modern educated women in believing in equality …. but many guys would still like to think they wear the pants.
And yes, perhaps there’s also this part in females (no matter how strong and independent) to want to be ‘protected’, on top of being cherished.
>>> Chun Jung Myung. But he has zero chemistry with all the women (and there are 3!!!!) in the drama. Sigh… I still like him in Fashion 70′s better.
Chun Jung-myung – dude is adorable in himself … but my preference also remains stuck in Fashion 70s where he was wayyy cool. Cinderella Unni left me cold after the promising start, and so did What’s Up Fox.
Recently watched:
= Dream High: promised my daughter I would, and did recently during a break in routine. Surprisingly enjoyable, with lessons to take home from it.
= Paradise Ranch (don’t even bother! Changmin has 2.5 expressions, I swear ^ ^)
= My Princess (sigh, it’s SSH lah … what can I say :P)
= Secret Garden (by far, the most enjoyable among the whole lot. was following this faithfully throughout)
= Sung Kyungkwan Scandal (SKKS).