Kkondae and Schadenfreude
Understanding slang in other languages and applying it to our own lives
A secret treasure chest
Learning words in another language can be fascinating, kind of like opening this little secret treasure chest of concepts previously misunderstood or unconsidered. A good and perhaps cliche example of this is the German word schadenfreude, which is defined in Merriam-Webster as enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others. Schaden means damage and freude means joy, so literally ‘damage-joy”.
There is no way to express this concept in English in a single word and so it seems to spark enjoyment & fascination in native English speakers when they hear it for the first time. In fact, the word has been such a success in English that it now appears in most English dictionaries and is prevalent in pop culture.
What is a Kkondae?
So this brings us to the Korean word Kkondae (꼰대). What on earth is a Kkondae I hear you ask? Well, it’s not as easy to define as Schadenfreude. Some of the listed definitions in a Korean-English dictionary are as follows: a fuddy-duddy, a fossil, a preachy person, a boomer and my personal favourite: ubervisor.
The word is thought to possibly originate from Kkondaegi, a dialect word meaning Silkworm pupa. It’s not hard to figure out where it came from right? The wrinkles of the pupa resemble the wrinkles of the fuddy-duddy.
While these definitions help, to truly understand the word we need to understand the context in which it has developed: modern Korean society. Specifically in the workplace, of which certain social aspects can be quite hierarchical. In addition to this, due to South Korea’s generation gap , there can sometimes be friction between young and old members of the workforce.
Hence the emergence of the term Kkondae, someone who forces their outdated way of thinking on another person.Often an older person, but not always, the stereotypical Kkondae lectures others condescendingly on the right way to do things in the office and how things used to be better in the old days. And sometimes, their advice might just be downright silly or wrong.
I’ve had several of my own Kkondae experiences, but the one that probably sticks out the most is someone trying to teach me to do barbell exercises that were more likely to break an arm than to grow muscle.
In addition to all of this, the concept of Kkondae has become problematic in the sense that it could shut down people from sharing their valuable experience & knowledge. And hardcore Kkondaes now start their lectures with “I’m not a Kkondae but…”
Everyday-life implications
So, how can I apply these things to my life? What’s the point? Well for one, bringing these concepts up might make you seem smart or cultured at a dinner party or first date.
But on a more serious note, perhaps we can consider if these concepts have any parallels or relevance in our own lives & societies. I’ve indulged in my fair share of schadenfreude, but it doesn’t seem like the healthiest or deepest emotion to keep around, especially long-term.
And being Kkondae-ish? Well, that’s what inspired this post. In my last working environment, I was shifting into Kkondae-gear a little too often. Like, making-people-roll-their eyes-back too often. So it’s something I need to be aware of in the future because if people perceive you as a Kkondae, fair or not, they’re going to be less-receptive to your ideas. And there’s not much point in having the experience & knowledge if you can’t share ideas attractively & accessibly.
So here are the questions I end with:
Have you ever been a Kkondae? Do you know any Kkondaes?
