Korean slang profile

내로남불

naeronambul

A double standard of judging the same behavior leniently in oneself but harshly in others.

Expanded form: 내가 하면 로맨스 남이 하면 불륜when I do it, it is romance; when others do it, it is an affair
Other spellings: —
Earliest source found: Oct 8, 2025
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
자기는 늦어도 되고 내가 늦으면 안 된다니 내로남불이네.
You can be late but I can’t? That is 내로남불.

02Documented history

October 2025연합뉴스 expanded the original sentence while discussing the difference between four-syllable abbreviations and four-character idioms.[1]

03Origin & word formation

Short for ‘내가 하면 로맨스 남이 하면 불륜’ (when I do it, it is romance; when others do it, it is an affair). A 2025 source from 연합뉴스 confirms this formation or explanation. Who first used it and when could not be established.

Evidence for the origin explanationMedium

The formation and usage were checked in the source. Who first coined it and when it was first used need further comparison.

04Sources

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

[팩트체크] 한글은 모든 소리를 적을 수 있다?…국립국어원 답변은 (연합뉴스)Published Oct 8, 2025Original source checked Nov 13, 2026