K-Terminology Narcissistic 'kkondae' hated for ignoring others

"Kkondae," usually used for elderly people attached to the past and critical of those from younger generations, refers to people who are authoritative, stubborn and lenient on themselves while hard on others. / A scene from "Nameless Gangster: Rules of Time" (2011)

By Ko Dong-hwan

“Kkondae,” often used by those in teenage or older, refers to people who are authoritative, stubborn and lenient on themselves while hard on others. It is considered by many to be slang that refers to elderly people clinging to the past and who are critical of those from later eras.

Kkondaes are usually found in the top tiers of hierarchical organizations. Ousted President Park Geun-hye is considered an example because of her sense of self-righteousness. Despite prosecutors’ solid questioning over charges including abuse of power, leaking state secrets and coercion, the former leader ― now locked in the Seoul Detention Center awaiting indictment ― denied all allegations.

When former senior presidential secretary Woo Byung-woo, another major suspect in the presidential corruption scandal, glared at a young female reporter who asked him questions when he was subpoenaed to prosecutors for questioning, the same sense was apparently seen, according to reports.

The term also applies to other people in organizations who have a sense of self-entitlement: those unafraid of wielding authority at the cost of subordinates’ rights.

In 2014, Korean Air’s then vice president Cho Hyun-ah complained about nuts that a stewardess served to her and ordered the flight return to the terminal. In another incident, a company executive threw boiling ramen at a stewardess because it did not taste good.

But it seems kkondae are becoming younger. A third-grade boy sparked big interest online last year when he jovially said in a news interview: “I become fourth grade in March. You younger kids better watch my words.” Netizens later called him a kkondae wannabe.

A Hankuk University of Foreign Studies student earned the same nickname online after he used the school bulletin board to urge his peers to embrace the freshmen orientation culture, something widely criticized for forcing freshmen to put on talent shows in front of senior students.

One of the popular targets of being dubbed kkondae is school teachers, who are often portrayed in movies oppressing students by instilling rules and knowledges. / A scene from "Friend" (2001)

Kkondae’s root is unknown. But there is a strong belief that it derived from the French word “comte,” meaning a count. During Japan’s colonial rule in Korea (1910-1945), some Koreans who acted as a proxy for the Japanese military were awarded higher social status. They were known to have proudly referred to themselves as comte, pronouncing it wrongly as something similar to kkondae.

Others believe the term originates from the English word “condescend.”

Wide hatred of kkondae or kkondae culture in Korea is based on the thinking they use their age and titles to prevent businesses from breaking outmoded traditions to grow and be globally competitive. The JoongAng Ilbo said: “Kkondaes are one of the reasons why Korea’s gross domestic product per capita cannot ever pass the threshold of $30,000.”

The daily paper Hankyoreh said: “Regardless of age and gender, anyone who wants to flaunt his or her title and wishes to be regarded accordingly can easily become kkondae.” The report warned: “Take a look around and see how well you can spot kkondaes widely spread among us like landmines and how you treat them with ‘due’ manner. Better yet, take a look at yourself and see if you are kkondae around your colleagues.”

But some people are not so critical, especially the families and children of kkondae. One blogger introduced his father as a kkondae, followed by an admission that there must be reasons for it.

“My father must have acquired his life-surviving skills through countless trials and errors,” the son said. “It is just that such skills do not work out these days. If I resolved to call him kkondae because we cannot understand each other, then it is as disheartening as ignoring his entire past for good and I will never be able to understand him at all. It is hard to change something dyed in the wool. We just need to start giving each other the benefit of the doubt.”