Korean slang profile
인구론
inguron
An exaggerated label for humanities graduates’ job struggles
An exaggerated expression for humanities graduates’ difficulty finding work. The figure in the expression is not an actual statistic.
- Expanded form
- 인문계 졸업생의 구십 퍼센트가 논다인문계 졸업생의 구십 퍼센트가 논다 (ninety percent of humanities graduates are idle)
- Other spellings
- —
- Earliest source found
- Dec 10, 2015
- 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
취업 토론에서 인구론이라는 말에 담긴 불안을 이야기했다.
In a discussion of employment, we talked about the anxiety conveyed by 인구론.
02Documented history
- 2015-12-10The National Institute of Korean Language’s “2015년 신어” included the expression’s definition and examples of usage.[1]
03Origin & word formation
The National Institute of Korean Language’s “2015년 신어” explains “인구론” in connection with “인문계 졸업생의 구십 퍼센트가 논다”. Who first used it and when have not been verified.
Evidence for the origin explanationMedium
The explanation in one National Institute of Korean Language source was checked. The evidence is on PDF page 150; the older article texts re-quoted there and the first use of the expression were not separately verified.
04Sources
Original titles and links are preserved. An English translation does not replace the original source.
- 2015년 신어 (국립국어원)Published Dec 10, 2015Original source checked Nov 14, 2026