Some keywords are born and catch on as reflections of their times. Looking back on the 2000s, I remember the age of “well-being.” The phrase “green light” gained popularity in the context of social changes that made it easier to discuss gender and sexuality more openly in public. As life grew harsher, we saw the emergence of the term “Hell Joseon,” and after that became unbearable, words like “YOLO,” names for new kinds of lifestyles, began to spread as well. In the age of cryptocurrency and pandemic-driven liquidity parties, words like “FIRE” and “financial freedom” were on everyone’s lips too.
When I was looking for another word to capture the mood of the present moment, the Korean word “손절” came to mind. It originally comes from stock trading, where it means cutting your losses by selling after a price drops. But somehow these days it seems to be used more and more for cutting people out of your life. It’s a chilling expression when you stop to think about it.
Cut off friends, cut off girlfriends, cut off parents
I’ve often come across people’s problems online. “I lent money to a friend and I’m not getting it back”, “I found a photo of my boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend on his phone”, “my soon-to-be father-in-law has been acting inappropriately”, and so on. The consensus of the comments is to cut off.
Just cut off. I’m glad you realised this early on. There’s no point in stressing over a relationship like that. Cut off.
Times seem to have changed. The level of morality, character, and common sense expected of each person has been raised across the board, and the moment a flaw is found, you’re out. It doesn’t matter whether the target is a celebrity on TV, an anonymous stranger on the internet, or a friend of twenty years. There is no room left for understanding. And so, little by little, we began to feel awkward about letting others get close to us.
If I feel a little bitter about these changes, does that mean I’m becoming old-fashioned? Everyone makes mistakes and says foolish things. Intentions and sincerity get distorted by circumstance. But I found myself wondering whether a relationship that has fully matured might be able to transcend mistakes and misunderstandings.
I don’t know if what’s unacceptable to us is really unacceptable, or if it’s the kind of thing that is understandable in a generous sense.