'I'm right, you're wrong' attitude prevails in 2020

The four-character Chinese idiom “asitabi” was selected as a phrase best describing Korean society this year, according to Kyosu Shinmun, a weekly journal of professors, Monday. / Courtesy of Kyosu Shinmun

By Lee Hyo-jin

Korean society this year has experienced continuous unproductive debates in political and social circles, with people claiming they are right and the others are wrong, said a group of professors, Monday.

The professors selected “asitabi” (我是他非), a four-character Chinese idiom meaning that means to blame others, as a phrase best describing our society in 2020, according to Kyosu Shinmun, a weekly journal. Since 2001, the journal has been choosing a phrase applicable to the situation of the country at the end of each year.

Asitabi was chosen by 32 percent of 906 professors nationwide in a survey conducted from Dec. 7 to 14.

Unlike many other traditional four-character Chinese expressions, “asitabi” has a parallel Korean four-character idiom. It has become popular as a Chinese-character version of “naeronambul,” a Korean phrase that became popular in the 1990s used to point out double standards in one's behavior. The literal translation of the Korean phrase is, “My romance. Your affair.”

The professors viewed that the attitude of shifting blame to others, particularly shown among political circles, was unhelpful in resolving the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jeong Tae-yeon, a professor of psychology at Chung-Ang University who recommended the phrase, told the journal, “In their (politicians') speech, it was difficult to find constructive ideas, self-reflection or warm advice toward others. It is regretful that the phrase has won the most votes to represent our society this year.”

“Politicians have been radically split into two groups, continuing to attack and criticize each other in every single topic,” said Choi Jae-mok, a professor of philosophy at Yeungnam University who also supported the idiom's selection. “The exhausting conflicts should now be replaced by cooperative attitudes and hopeful messages.”

The second-most-voted phrase was “huanmuchi” (厚顔無恥), meaning a shameless attitude. The majority of professors who voted for the phrase viewed that the idiom was applicable to the deepened conflicts between Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl surrounding the prosecutorial reform.

It was followed by the phrase “gyeokhwasoyang,” (隔靴搔?) which can be literally translated as “having an itch that one cannot scratch,” used to describe frustrating situations that are not easily resolved. It represents the public discontent caused by stranded policies as politicians were trapped in their own ideologies.

Another phrase on the list was “cheopcheopsanjung” (疊疊山中), meaning “deep in the mountains” as it shows Korea's current coronavirus pandemic situation.