Korean slang profile

선팔

seonpal

Following someone first

Following or subscribing to someone first on social media.

This is the earliest source we have verified, not the date the term was coined.

01Examples, with English translations

Example by Julimmal
선팔해 주셔서 감사해요.
Thanks for following me first.
Quoted from a source
‘선팔’(먼저 트친(트위터 친구)을 신청하는 것) 위주로 활동했더니 교류하는 이들이 금세 늘었어요.[1]
I mainly focused on ‘선팔’ (applying for a Twitter friend), and the number of people I interacted with quickly increased.
English translation by Julimmal.

January 2011I mainly focused on ‘선팔’ (applying for a Twitter friend), and the number of people I interacted with quickly increased.[1]
August 2016Female Donga: “선팔 literally means following someone first, and 맞팔 means following someone else when they follow you.”[2]

Short for “먼저 팔로우하기.” The 2011 source from Daily Medi explicitly gives this explanation. Who first used it and when have not been verified.

Evidence for the origin explanationHigh

The explanation is explicit in the sources, and at least two sources use the same meaning. When it was first used is unknown.

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

트위터 마니아 원장님 ‘이래서 살맛 나요’ (데일리메디)Published Jan 3, 2011Original source checked Nov 5, 2026
INSTAGRAM (여성동아)Published Aug 9, 2016Original source checked Nov 5, 2026