Korean slang profile
스몸비
seumombi
A term likening people who keep their eyes on smartphones while walking to zombies.
A term likening people who keep their eyes on smartphones while walking to zombies.
- Expanded form
- 스마트폰 + 좀비스마트폰 + 좀비 (smartphone + zombie)
- Other spellings
- —
- Earliest source found
- Nov 14, 2023
- 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
걷는 동안에는 휴대폰을 넣어 두고 스몸비가 되지 않으려 해.
I put my phone away while walking so I don’t become a smartphone zombie.
02Documented history
- 2023-11-14The 국민일보 source used the expression ‘스몸비’.[1]
03Origin & word formation
The source explains it as ‘스마트폰 + 좀비’ (smartphone + zombie). Who first used it and when could not be established.
Evidence for the origin explanationMedium
The explanation and usage were compared directly with the evidence. Who first coined it and when it was first used could not be established.
04Sources
Original titles and links are preserved. An English translation does not replace the original source.
- 등하굣길 ‘앱 차단 기기’ 설치… 스쿨존 스몸비가 사라졌다 (국민일보)Published Nov 14, 2023Original source checked Nov 13, 2026