Korean slang profile
고구마
goguma
A frustratingly stuck situation
A situation or story development that feels frustrating and blocked, likened to the sensation of eating a sweet potato.
- Expanded form
- Not documented
- Other spellings
- —
- Earliest source found
- Dec 2, 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
이 드라마 전개 너무 고구마야.
This drama's storyline is so frustrating.
02Documented history
- December 2016In a radio interview report, the host compared politicians to ‘사이다’ and ‘고구마’ and asked, and the interviewee said, ‘사이다 gets thirsty quickly. 고구마 replied, ‘I feel full.’ The expression comparing the cool side to 사이다 and the stuffy side to 고구마 was used as is.[1]
03Origin & word formation
The supporting article does not explain the meaning or formation. It only documents a figurative comparison: a satisfying response is likened to 사이다, while a frustrating one is likened to 고구마.
Evidence for the origin explanationLow
Only examples of the figurative use have been verified. Where and when that meaning began are unknown.
04Sources
Original titles and links are preserved. An English translation does not replace the original source.
- 문재인 ‘이재명 시원한 사이다, 나는 든든한 고구마’ (동아닷컴)Published Dec 2, 2016Original source checked Nov 5, 2026