Korean slang profile

자소서포비아

jasoseopobia

A metaphor for feeling burdened or afraid of writing personal statements and submitting applications.

Expanded form: Not documented
Other spellings: 자소서 포비아
Earliest source found: Sep 29, 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
지원서를 열기만 해도 막막하다며 친구가 자소서포비아라는 말을 꺼냈다.
My friend mentioned 자소서포비아, saying even opening an application felt overwhelming.

02Documented history

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

03Origin & word formation

연합뉴스 introduces the expression as a new term showing job-search stress. It has not been established as a medical diagnosis. Who first used it and when could not be established.

Evidence for the origin explanationMedium

The meaning and usage were compared with the source text. Who first coined it and when it was first used could not be established.

04Sources

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

오스트랄로스펙쿠스·호모인턴스…2016 취업시장 신조어는 (연합뉴스)Published Sep 29, 2016Original source checked Nov 14, 2026