Korean slang profile
복지안동
bokjiandong
Playing safe and watching others
A satirical expression about the civil service, meaning to play it safe and watch how others react.
- Expanded form
- Not documented
- Other spellings
- —
- Earliest source found
- Dec 30, 1998
- 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
결정할 때마다 눈치만 살피니 복지안동이라는 말이 떠올랐다.
Seeing people only watch others’ reactions at every decision brought 복지안동 to mind.
02Documented history
No history documented.
03Origin & word formation
A 1998 서울신문 year-end article explains it as merely watching how others react. The first user and time have not been verified.
Evidence for the origin explanationMedium
The definition and social context presented in the contemporary article were compared. First coinage, current range of use, and the extent of spread remain unverified.
04Sources
Original titles and links are preserved. An English translation does not replace the original source.
- 공직사회 유행한 말…말…말… (서울신문)Published Dec 30, 1998Original source checked Nov 15, 2026