[Tier 3] ATEEZ - Ssulply (Are You a Social Boomer?!)
Added 2024-05-15 18:14:50 +0000 UTCHeeeerrrrreeeeeee's an extra video before we get to Season 2 of Wanteez!! :D
We found this video of ATEEZ appearing on Ssulply, and since we're quite versed with the show + we thought it's an interesting topic, we decided to give this one a try!
And of course, we had TONS of fun XD granted, we did feel that this episode requires a LOT of Korean knowledge (language and culture) to get a good sense of what is truly going on. The subtitles just cannot capture the meaning properly, and even if it did, the topic would require too much first hand experience in Korea and how the society works in general.
Having said all this, we still think this can be a fun episode for what it is - as usual, it's just that knowing a lot about Korea would ADD to the experience. The video itself is still fun ;).
So especially for this one, if you had any questions about the social hierarchy or Korean honorifics system or anything else, please let us know and we'll try to explain :D
Enjoy, and see you in WANTEEZ!!! <3
Some details about the phrasing while we're at it!
1. "I've been following/watching you guys"
What ATEEZ says in regards to what the newbies said roughly feels akin to "you're doing good kiddo" from the perspective of the 'sunbae' - i.e. not polite. What they expected was a sentence that better captures the nuance of them being the newbie - so maybe something literally closer to 'I've been following/watching you and you are amazing'. Also there's the whole thing with subtlety in honorific. Therefore, the translation provided in the video isn't exactly communicating the true nuance.
2. "But you can't talk like that to an older person right" (8:50)
The reason why Jongho's line is funny is because they're using the term 싸가지, which really can't be translated but imagine combining the casualness of terms like 'douchebag' and combining that with disrespectful or rude. So what Jongho says feels more like 'talkin to hyung like that you jackass' - which makes it infinitely funnier because Jongho himself is younger than Wooyoung, and yet Wooyoung rolled with it and self-reflected with a 'oh dang that IS disrespectful isn't it!'.
3. "Are you feeling comfy?" (13:40)
So the way San delivers it is one thing, but it's the detailed phrasing itself that makes it so awesome - he IS saying ' you feeling comfortable (with/around me)?' but he's using a somewhat casual formal language (I know, makes zero sense), a somewhat aggressive formal language if you will, to deliver that. So he is being very forward about his discomfort, while using formal language to hint at what is wrong with the situation, and the combination of formal speech and the aggressive wording and tone makes his comeback way more intimidating than if he were to simply use informal language to say 'you feeling comfy now?'. Think of meeting a potential killer who is just wild and loud VS quiet and well mannered. You'd be more afraid of the well mannered one.
Comments
I absolutely ADORED this reaction and all the interesting linguistic details! You are really REALLY good at using examples in English that convey different levels of formality, it makes it so clear! I always want to remind ppl that San was not just raised very traditionally (which he was), his father owned and operated a Taekwondo studio, and San is a black belt. He was active in mentoring and teaching the younger students for many years, and likely has much experience with youthful "challenges" to authority, and the strict formality and authority of a martial arts setting. When they do martial arts content, you see him slip back into teacher mode accidentally :P He takes the role of senior very seriously and is very specific about what it means to be a role model for others.
J
2024-05-21 17:00:40 +0000 UTCnot sure where to put recommendations, still sorta new here :) but I would love to see you guys react to the band concert Ateez did with it's live a few years back. it's a mix of live performances and documentary-style clips of them talking about their bond, music, and atiny. super heartwarming and all around one of my favorite ateez contents! here's the link if you're interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQCPPIUc7pg they perform turbulence, fever, thank u, promise, and the real (I believe you've gotten to all these songs in their discography but I could totally be missing a few)
Sonali
2024-05-21 02:37:05 +0000 UTCOh, thank you very much!
Anna Nováková
2024-05-16 15:42:48 +0000 UTCMust add that there are exceptions and also levels to that 'half formal' speech, and some may get away easily with using informal language to a friend's mother, or even strangers, if they use it with the right 'tone' and 'energy' and is natural part of their personality. You may also not resort to the formal endings, but can simply use formal 'verb' changes to do a more informal feeling formal language, but that's a whole other genre of nuances and to understand that you really just need to know Korean. XD
Handsome Sausages
2024-05-16 15:40:23 +0000 UTCSo normally, no - especially as you age (when you're 9, there's less of such idea of social respect, obviously, and would resort to informal language at any given chance if someone looks about the same age as you. In fact, you'll only address the similarly aged person with 'hyung' 'noona', 'oppa', etc. once you find out they're older than you, but would not use strict formal language otherwise). Anyways, the general assumption is that you use formal language even for people who may be the same age as you if you met outside in a social setting. Of course you'd get to know that person, the age, and decide on this matter together to use informal language to each other, or maybe if that person was older, you'd be the one to tell them to not use formal language to you as you get to know them because they're older than you, etc. So especially for your example, a friend's mother would ALWAYS be spoken to in formal language simply because they're, well, older. The grey zones occur when the person is a sunbae, but is younger than you, or is hoobae, but is older than you. If someone is hoobae but older, it is more socially acceptable that you start with informal language but may transition into calling them 'hyung' or whatever is appropriate depending on your gender, as you get to know them. If someone is younger than you but is sunbae to you in idol industry setting, etc. it's just like any other social situations I've explained and therefore is a given that you'd start with formal language, but as you get to know them, they may tell you to not use formal language because technically they're younger than you. Another exception would be to your own parents. This depends on family dynamic and varies from person to person, but many use informal language and only address them with mom, dad, etc. and never use formal language. Last thing is the grey zone in language structure itself, since there are levels to formality in Korean language - you may be mixing informal and formal langauge in a single sentence, for example, by using clear formality (~요, etc.) but NOT changing the verb formally, making it more casual..this one is hard to explain but think of it like the difference between 'yes sir, right away sir' VS 'sure thing boss' VS 'you got it buddy'.
Handsome Sausages
2024-05-16 15:38:24 +0000 UTCThank you for your reaction! I also have question that came on my mind. In our language, we also have formal and informal version (although it is not that complicated). I am wondering if there is also some kind of grey zone in the korean language/culture, when you are not very sure, if you should use formal or informal language. For example when I have a friend, who has the mother I know, there can be a time when you don´t know how to speak to that mother. We would usually use the formal language, but at the same time it can be strange for your friend and even for that mother, that I do not talk to her casually. Is there also some type of situation in korean, when it can be very difficult to choose how to speak?
Anna Nováková
2024-05-16 11:37:54 +0000 UTCWooyoung always says that he's a Boomer lmaoooo. He say's it all the time in their shows and I laugh. He is always like "The MZ Generation is the problem" he always cracks me up. Also San's Dad's lore goes crazy lmao, he has told so many crazy stories about his Dad. Their main producer Eden even said he was scared San would never be able to come out of his shell enough to be an idol because he was raised very by the book and traditional, but he did!!
Kiara
2024-05-16 06:11:35 +0000 UTCThank you so much for all the explanations🤍
Hayzel
2024-05-16 04:38:30 +0000 UTCAbsolutely! In fact, it's actually borderline WRONG to use informal language in such cases (not just celebrities, but when you meet someone for the first time, unless you're 80 and the person you're talking to is like 5 or something) because you do not know them. So it's common for everyone to use formal language when they're outside and happen to interact with anyone they do not know! And for this example, using 씨 would work just fine I imagine!
Handsome Sausages
2024-05-16 01:24:12 +0000 UTCThank you for explaining it more for us. I do have a question. I am older than the members but I feel that I should be respectful to them. When I address them in chat or their lives I always use 산씨 or 성화씨 as a matter of respect to them. They are celebrities and I feel that when they are addressed in an informal manner it shows disrespect. Is this ok for me to do? As someone who is older than them.
Stacey Mac
2024-05-16 00:06:37 +0000 UTCThank you for the explanations! They really do make us appreciate the jokes even more.
Juanita W
2024-05-15 23:04:09 +0000 UTCThank you so much for providing the additional context!! Truly appreciate it!
Shaina EXO-L
2024-05-15 22:56:48 +0000 UTCLoved your reaction and super insightful hearing your explanations of the nuances!
Elaine Wang
2024-05-15 21:33:18 +0000 UTCAhhhhh!!! Am SO excited to go home and watch this immediately, what a perfect cherry on top of a lovely day!!
J
2024-05-15 21:22:23 +0000 UTCI loved this. They have done some other little one-off type shows, if you're looking for fillers between your main reactions. Wooyoung is always collecting new friends. This one was a lot of fun: https://youtu.be/IHqnjBClDyI?si=uKTT-45nTv7PZ109
The OG_SG
2024-05-15 21:06:42 +0000 UTCI would explain the different reaction to skz and ateez saying similar things with a few reasons: 1. Ssuply has a major korean viewership vs. pretty sure chan talked about this in english on the official Skz channel, so it makes sense that international fans might hear more about what chan said. 2. The "victim". For Ateez, they mostly talked about acting as "kkondaes" to the trainees at their company. I'm pretty sure this was before Xikers debut, so there's not as many people who feel offended on behalf of them. On the other side with skz, while Chan didn't mention any names that left his statements open to interpretation. And a certain, big fandom (Dives) thought he was talking about their group, so there's just a lot more people. 3. The internet is unpredictable. Sometimes it's random what goes viral and what doesn't and things snowball quite quickly
_nora_
2024-05-15 19:29:46 +0000 UTCThis was so funny. I do get we are missing the full experience. So I really like and appreciate how you guys explain as much as possible the nuances, words or culture. Loved this!!❤️❤️
Malika Brooks
2024-05-15 19:16:53 +0000 UTCI remember when I first saw this I was kind of suprised that Wooyoung and San were the biggest "Kkondae" but it really makes sense. As you said they will be the strictest with manners but they will also be the kindest to their hoobaes. What a lot of people especially from different backgrounds cultural misunderstand that respect for your elders (or superiors) is not (or at least shouldn't be) a one sided thing. You give them respect and therefore they will take on responsibility to care for you. As someone with an asian background (not korean tho) this is really deeply ingrained into me. Thank you for taking the time to explain the nuances of the korean language/culture, I always learn something new watching your reactions!!
_nora_
2024-05-15 19:12:02 +0000 UTCI love this! I've seen snippets of this interview excerpted before but never the whole thing (and had somehow never registered before that the interviewer was Lee Seokhoon). I've definitely seen other clips of Wooyoung being kkondae; there's one that I've been seeing everywhere the last week or so that I think must be recent, where he's talking about hoobaes bowing; though I do find it interesting how him talking that way seems to be generally received positively, whereas the one time Bang Chan (very politely!) talked about hoobaes not being polite to seniors, it became this massive scandal that ultimately (as best we can tell) led to the cancellation of Chan's Room. (the tl;dr of why is that a couple of fan accounts started saying he'd been specifically shading either IVE or Aespa, I can't remember which, but either way, the fandom in question blew it up in anger and it became a whole Thing he had to answer for, even after the fan who started it confessed to having made up the accusation.) Also, as a sidebar, the conversation around hoobaes speaking banmal makes me want to dig up the clip where SKZ discuss how Han and Lee Know started speaking banmal with each other literally two days after meeting - I don't know if I'll be able to find it, but it's really fascinating!
sysrae
2024-05-15 18:53:08 +0000 UTCThank you guys for explaining some of the phrasing used and what they mean versus what the subs show. IDK if you have checked out the Ateez Disco Pang Pang interview. It was really funny. It's another short interview. https://youtu.be/nwj_JzcjFrg?si=m1AyvMtmW7bq9hH4
Yeosangs Chicken Leg 🍗
2024-05-15 18:49:22 +0000 UTCOh I am so happy you found this one! It's so funny 😁
Paulina
2024-05-15 18:35:41 +0000 UTC
