하의실종
[ha-eui-shil-jong]
scantily clad; MIA bottoms
Meaning & context
문자 그대로 사라진 하의, 즉 사라진 치마나 바지를 말한다. 어떤 사람의 다리가 거의 덮여 있지 않아 거의 하의를 입고있지 않은 것처럼 보이거나 하의가 실종된 것처럼 보일 때 쓴다.
Literally “a disappearing bottom, skirt or shorts.” When someone’s lower half or ha is so scantily covered that it seems as if they are naked on the bottom or their clothing (eui) is missing in action (shiljong).
From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 226–227. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.
STORY TIME
See it in conversation
Korean
과거의 망령
English
A Haunting Past
그만! 이놈의 하의실종 치마랑 핫팬츠 더이상 못참겠다!
That’s it! I’ve had it with these haeuishiljong skirts and short shorts.
내가 제일 좋아하는 것들인데!
Those are my favorite!
그건 과다노출일 뿐이야! 젊은 여성들한테 부적절해! 새로운 법을 만들어야겠어!
It’s simply over-exposure! Not appropriate for young ladies! I’m going to make a new law!
그치만 네 이 오래된 해변가 사진은 뭔데?
What about this old picture of you at the beach?
어, 음…
Uh, um…
그 비키니는 진짜 하의실종인걸!
That bikini is seriously haeuishiljong!
어, 글쎄. 그건 그 때고…
Uh, well. That was then…
스스로를 감추지 마, 씨스타! 그리고 부디 서울의 매끈한 다리의 즐거움을 뺏지 말아줘.
Keep it real, sister! And don’t take away the leggy joy of Seoul.
From the book: notes & culture
Culturally Speaking
The ‘Height’ of Fashion
Modesty in women’s attire in Korea, tends to be limited to the upper half as showing legs up to the crotch is commonplace. Short shorts and even shorter skirts are aplenty, yet showing even the slightest bit of cleavage is a major no-no in the exceptionally conservative Land of the Morning Calm. Korea, however, seems to be somewhat selective about this conservative nature with a dichotomy that spans the ubiquitousness of love motels (with parking lot curtains to protect the innocent, of course) to the feigned innocence of unmarried women (Or is it real? Who knows. . . ) and the neon crosses of Christian zealotry dotting the landscape. Somehow the legs have gotten a pass and with some serious haeuishiljong and gulbokji going around, who’s to complain? Not I for one!
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