Korean slang profile

BAE

bae

An English term of affection for someone dear, such as a partner or close friend.

Expanded form: Before Anyone ElseBefore Anyone Else
Other spellings: bae
Earliest source found: Jan 19, 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
친구가 연인 사진에 BAE라고 짧게 설명을 달았다.
My friend added the short caption BAE to a photo of their partner.

02Documented history

January 2016The source shows this expression's meaning and usage.[1]

03Origin & word formation

세계일보 lists ‘BAE’ as an abbreviation crossing between languages and gives the expansion ‘Before Anyone Else’. Whether this establishes its actual etymology could not be confirmed.

Evidence for the origin explanationMedium

The explanation and affectionate usage in the Korean article were checked. Whether its proposed expansion matches the actual etymology needs further confirmation.

04Sources

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

[설왕설래] 줄임말 (세계일보)Published Jan 19, 2016Original source checked Nov 14, 2026