Korean slang profile

팬텀 세대

paenteom sedae

A generation influencing society through communication that leaves few clear traces.

Expanded form: 팬텀(phantom) + 세대팬텀(phantom) + 세대 (phantom + generation)
Other spellings: —
Earliest source found: Nov 30, 2017
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
기사는 조용히 움직이는 이용자들을 팬텀 세대라고 소개했다.
The article called users who act quietly 팬텀 세대.

02Documented history

November 2017The National Institute of Korean Language’s 2017 new-word survey report includes a separate headword and explanation.[1]

03Origin & word formation

The National Institute of Korean Language’s 2017 new-word survey report explains this expression’s meaning and usage. Who created it and when it was first used could not be established.

Evidence for the origin explanationMedium

The report's headword, definition, and context were compared directly. Dates of older articles it cites were not copied without checking the originals. The evidence date is the publication date in the report's colophon.

04Sources

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

2017년 신어 조사 (국립국어원)Published Nov 30, 2017Original source checked Nov 14, 2026