What Does “Aegyo” Mean?
Acting deliberately cute — the Korean art of winning people over with charm.
The full meaning
Aegyo is a cute, charming, slightly childlike way of speaking and acting, used to be endearing or to win a favor: a sing-song voice, puffed cheeks, heart gestures. It can be genuinely adorable or laid on so thick it becomes comedy.
Where “aegyo” comes from
A long-standing Korean cultural concept that K-pop turned into a global export. Idols perform aegyo on variety shows almost as a rite of passage, and international fans adopted the word because English has no exact equivalent.
How it’s actually used
Someone "does aegyo" or "has natural aegyo." Friends demand it as a party trick ("do aegyo!") and tease each other for using it to get favors. Excessive aegyo is met with theatrical cringing, which is part of the fun.
✔ For parents & teachers
Harmless and playful. It's performed cuteness, well understood by everyone involved as a bit of theater.
Related slang
Last updated: 2026-07-06. Slang evolves fast — we review definitions regularly.