Korean slang profile

ASMR

ASMR videos and sensations

A term for sensory stimulation associated with a calming feeling. It also refers to videos featuring hand movements, soft whispers, or sounds made by everyday objects.

Expanded form: autonomous sensory meridian responseASMR videos and sensations
Other spellings: —
Earliest source found: Mar 25, 2016
Documented trend period: Not verified

This is the earliest source we have verified, not the date the term was coined.

01Examples, with English translations

Example by Julimmal
자기 전에 ASMR 영상 틀어 놓고 자.
I put on an ASMR video before going to sleep.
Quoted from a source
ASMR은 자율감각 쾌감반응(Autonomous sensory meridian response)의 줄임말로 손동작이나 낮은 속삭임, 신문이나 시계처럼 일상적인 물건을 통해 마음의 휴식을 유도하는 영상입니다.[1]
ASMR is short for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response and refers to videos that encourage relaxation through hand movements, quiet whispers, or everyday objects such as newspapers and clocks.
English translation by Julimmal.

02Documented history

March 2016ASMR is short for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response and refers to videos that encourage relaxation through hand movements, quiet whispers, or everyday objects such as newspapers and clocks.[1]
June 2016Kyunghyang Shinmun: “ASMR stands for ‘autonomous sensory meridian response’ and refers to the principle of inducing psychological stability by stimulating the brain.”[2]

03Origin & word formation

Short for “autonomous sensory meridian response.” The 2016 source from MBC explicitly gives this explanation. Who first used it and when have not been verified.

Evidence for the origin explanationHigh

The explanation is explicit in the sources, and at least two sources use the same meaning. When it was first used is unknown.

04Sources

Original titles and links are preserved. An English translation does not replace the original source.

[엠빅뉴스] 수면 유도 영상? ASMR의 진실 (MBC)Published Mar 25, 2016Original source checked Nov 5, 2026
소곤소곤,스르륵...ASMR(자율감각 쾌락반응)로 '팅글' 느껴보실래요 (경향신문)Published Jun 16, 2016Original source checked Nov 5, 2026