POV: Youโre in class, totally focused on your ๋ ธํธ (noteu, notebook) โ๏ธ, and you borrow a pen from your bestie. You quickly jot down your friendโs ์ด๋ฆ (ireum, name) to mark something, and BAM! Itโs a red pen. And suddenly, your friend looks like they just saw a ๊ท์ (gwi-sin, ghost)! ๐ฑ Or worse, your ์ ์๋ (seonsaengnim, teacher) sees it and gives you THE look. Like, what even happened?! This, my chingudeul (chin-gu-deul, friends), is a classic K-drama moment IRL, and today weโre spilling the tea on why red ink + names = a big NO-NO in Korea!
Okay, so here's the deal. Writing someone's name in red ink? Literally a HUGE superstition here in Korea, and itโs mostly because red ink is traditionally used forโฆ well, writing the names of the deceased. ๐ Yeah, you heard that right! In olden times, and even still sometimes, when someone passes away, their name might be written in red on family registers or memorial tablets. So, if you write a living person's name in red, it's like you're wishing them bad luck or, worse, wishing them to pass away. Omg, no cap, it's super serious! My ํ ๋จธ๋ (halmeoni, grandmother) would literally FLIP if she saw me do it. ๐ต๐
Itโs not just about wishing bad luck, itโs also seen as a sign that someone's time is up, you know? Itโs a cultural thing thatโs been around forever, so even if younger generations like me donโt *fully* believe in the magic anymore, we still totally respect it. You'll rarely see a Korean teacher use a red pen to write a studentโs name, for example. They might use it for corrections on your test, but NEVER your name! ๐ So, if you ever come to Korea and want to make a good impression, or just avoid some awkward stares, definitely stick to black or blue ink for names, bestie! It hits different when you know the backstory, fr fr!
โจ K-Logic Fun Fact / ๐ก Pro Tip!
Did you know? This superstition isn't just about wishing death! Red was also used historically because it was believed to ward off evil spirits. So, writing a deceased person's name in red could also be a way to protect their spirit from bad vibes! โจ So next time you're writing, if you see a red pen, just remember: it's for marking your spicy ramen ๐ถ๏ธ or correcting mistakes, NOT for your ์น๊ตฌ (chin-gu, friend)'s name! ๐