#8. 허세 -- The culture of showing off

The culture of trying to show off your superiority to the others isn't new. Back in the olden days, the educated people would quote from the literature, and see who picks up on the subtle references. Only those who pick up on these obscure quotes were their intellectual equals!

We haven't changed much, because we are still searching for those whoreally "get us," by posting cryptic messages on social media. Sometimes it works; but sometimes, it leads to an epic failure whose memory will make you blush every time you think about it. When these messages are especially pretentious, Koreans might caution you not to show off, by saying:

허세 부리지 마.

"허세" is a Korean word with Chinese origins. "허" means fake or empty in content; "허상" means "fake imagery (for example, holograms or shadows)"; "허구" means "made-up stories"; "허허벌판" means a field that has completely barren. "세" is a bit harder to translate, but I would say that it means "aura," or "force." For example, "기세" means "force"; "위세" means "authority"; "텃세" means "assertion of power due to an advantage."

When someone gives off the fake vibes, the verb that describes this is therefore "허세부리다." Here is a classic example of 허세 that most Koreans would know, from none other than 장근석, a famous celebrity. He posted a picture of himself with the following words on Cyworld, an early Korean version of Instagram. Note that his writing style is rather literary than colloquial; this was supposed to set the stage for his reflexive and deep thoughts. Unfortunately, the content did not match the seriousness of the tone, and he is still known as "허세킹," or "king of 허세."

 

Here is the translation:

The racing in Le Mans left excitement in my arms,
and the wine in Paris made me subdued.

Paris..
The relaxed atmosphere of the people on the streets
and the beauty of the historical and traditional architecture..

And

an unknown artistic aura enters my body in this city..

If an opportunity ever comes to me again to visit Paris,
I shall hold a bottle of wine in one hand, and newspaper in the other
and cry in the Avenue des Champs-Elysées

"New York Herald Tribune!"

Anyway, as he was already a very famous celebrity, some TV shows parodied this post, and eventually he ended up closing his account on Cyworld. People laughed at this post, saying "허세좀 보소," "대단한 허세다,"and "손발이 오그라든다."

There is another older Korean word that means the same thing. You could have also said

폼 잡지 마.

폼 comes from the English word "form." Its literal translation says "don't take a form," but it's really Konglish for "don't strike up a pose." With the rise of the word "허세," this word is in decline, but it is still used by the people who are trying to create the feel for the bygone days of the 1990s.

And finally, I will note that these words are widely used, even among the older people of Korea.