Nuance Dictionary / Slang & Internet Culture
고구마 go-gu-ma
A suffocatingly slow, frustrating situation or person that leaves you mentally gasping for water.
What does 고구마 mean?
고구마 (go-gu-ma) means: A suffocatingly slow, frustrating situation or person that leaves you mentally gasping for water.
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How it's actually used
- 아 이 드라마 전개 왜 이렇게 고구마야? 답답해 죽겠네.
a i deura-ma jeon-gae wae ireoke go-gu-maya? dap-dap-hae juk-get-ne.
Ugh, why is this drama's plot so frustratingly slow? I'm dying from the stuffiness.
💡 Pairing 고구마 with 답답하다 (to feel stifled) is the native default setting for agonizing media plots. - 남친이 고구마처럼 굴 때마다 속이 터진다.
nam-chi-ni go-gu-ma-cheoreom gul ttae-mada sog-i teo-jin-da.
Every time my boyfriend acts all dense and frustrating, I feel like my insides are gonna burst.
💡 Using 고구마 like an adjective (-처럼 굴다) turns a sluggish trait into a vivid behavioral roast. - 고구마 먹은 것처럼 상황이 진전이 없네.
go-gu-ma meogeun geot-cheoreom sang-hwang-i jin-jeon-i eop-ne.
There's zero progress in this situation, like we're eating dry sweet potatoes without water.
💡 Invoking the physical act of eating the root vegetable highlights a complete lack of emotional lubrication.
Related words in Slang & Internet Culture
행쇼 haeng-syo헐 heol흑역사 heuk-yeok-sa혼모노 hon-mo-no이왜진 i-wae-jin