소름 (soreum) — Chills; goosebumps.
This is lesson 5 in our Korean Slang series, adapted from Korean Your Teacher Doesn’t Teach You by Injin Hwang. The explanations below focus on understanding casual Korean and choosing an appropriate situation.
What 소름 means
소름 can describe a strong reaction to music, acting, a plot twist or something eerie. It can express admiration or fear, so listen to the whole sentence.
A short conversation
A: 마지막 반전 봤어?
B: 응, 완전 소름이었어.
A: Did you see the final twist?
B: Yes. It gave me chills.
How to understand the expression
The ordinary expression 소름이 돋다 describes getting goosebumps. In conversation, the noun alone can become a short, powerful reaction. 반전 means a twist or reversal, especially in a story. When discussing a film, you can describe your reaction without revealing the twist and spoiling it for a friend.
Use it with care
Do not assume that 소름 always means something frightening. Context can turn it into praise.
A more neutral or polite alternative: 소름이 돋았어요.
I got goosebumps.
Try it yourself
A singer gives an astonishing performance and a listener says 소름. Must the listener be scared?
Show the answer
No. The listener may be expressing intense admiration.
Read both parts of the dialogue aloud. Then imagine a different situation and decide whether this reaction would sound friendly, exaggerated or unsuitable. Focus on the relationship between the speakers, not only the dictionary meaning.
Based on the author’s slang collection, with additional learning notes for this website. Illustration created with AI for this lesson.
