Korean slang profile

큐코노미

kyukonomi

Economic phenomena arising as an infectious disease leads to quarantine and lockdowns and suppresses face-to-face consumption.

Expanded form: 격리(quarantine) + 경제(economy)격리(quarantine) + 경제(economy) (quarantine + economy)
Other spellings: —
Earliest source found: Aug 5, 2020
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
보고서는 큐코노미 속에서 달라진 소비 방식을 살폈다.
The report examined changing consumption patterns in the quarantine economy.

02Documented history

August 2020한국일보 introduced a phenomenon in which quarantine and disease control shape the economy and consumption.[1]
October 2020전북일보 included the meaning in educational material on COVID-19-related new expressions.[2]

03Origin & word formation

한국일보 explains it as a new blend of ‘Quarantine’ and ‘Economy’. 전북일보 also describes economic changes following quarantine and lockdowns. Who first used it and when could not be established.

Evidence for the origin explanationMedium

The explanation in the body of the source was checked, but the first user could not be identified.

04Sources

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

큐코노미, 멘털데믹, 코로나 카스트…달라진 세상, 쏟아지는 신조어들 (한국일보)Published Aug 5, 2020Original source checked Nov 13, 2026
[NIE] ‘코로나 신조어’를 통해 본 2020 대한민국 (전북일보)Published Oct 15, 2020Original source checked Nov 13, 2026