Korean slang profile

맞팔

matpal

Following each other

A mutual following relationship on Twitter.

Expanded form: 맞 + 팔로우(follow)Following each other
Other spellings: —
Earliest source found: Jun 12, 2010
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
서로 맞팔하고 소식 주고받자.
Let's follow each other and keep in touch.
Quoted from a source
‘맞팔’은 ‘맞+팔로우(follow)’[2]
맞팔 combines 맞, indicating reciprocity, with “follow.”
English translation by Julimmal.

02Documented history

June 2010Yonhap News: “However, there are only 2,586 cases of so-called ‘맞팔’, in which people become followers after the Blue House accepts follower applications.”[1]
2013New Korean Language Life: “I will give 맞팔 to everyone who posts this article.”[2]

03Origin & word formation

Formed from “맞 + 팔로우(follow).” The 2013 source from New Korean Language Life explicitly gives this explanation. Who first used it and when have not been verified.

Evidence for the origin explanationMedium

One source explicitly explains the term. When it was first used is unknown.

04Sources

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

靑 트위터, 개설 닷새만에 `5000 팔로워` (연합뉴스)Published Jun 12, 2010Original source checked Nov 5, 2026
누리소통망과 새말의 형성 (새국어생활)Published 2013Original source checked Nov 5, 2026