Korean slang profile
배터리족
baeteorijok
Recharging after leaving a job
People around their mid-30s who take time to recharge through study abroad, qualifications, or similar activities after losing or leaving a job.
- Expanded form
- Not documented
- Other spellings
- —
- Earliest source found
- Dec 2005
- 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
퇴직 뒤 공부를 다시 시작한 배터리족의 사례가 소개됐다.
An example described a 배터리족 member who resumed studying after leaving work.
02Documented history
- 2005-12This source introduced “배터리족” and explained its meaning.[1]
03Origin & word formation
The National Institute of Korean Language’s 『2005년 신어』 lists this headword and its meaning. Who first used it and when have not been verified.
Evidence for the origin explanationMedium
The headword, components, definition, and usage on PDF page 59 (printed page 35) were directly compared. This relies on one source; the older articles quoted by the report were not directly checked. Inclusion in this collection does not establish the year the expression arose or first became popular.
04Sources
Original titles and links are preserved. An English translation does not replace the original source.
- 2005년 신어 (국립국어원)Published Dec 2005Original source checked Nov 14, 2026