sunbae

sunbae

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Korean 선배 (seonbae, “senior”).

Noun

sunbae (plural sunbaes)

1. (South Korea) An upperclassman or senior.
   • 2012, Seung Hee Yoo & David Matsumoto, "Korean Culture Explored Through Survey Research", in Inter/Cultural Communication: Representation and Construction of Culture (ed. Anastacia Kurylo), page 400:

     When students start their freshmen year in college, they are taken care of by their sunbaes, who give them various advice about school.

   • 2012, Tatyana Yun, "The Sound And The Passion: Yonko Games 2012", The UIC Scribe (Underwood International College, Yonsei University), Winter 2012, page 46:

     On September 14-15 of this year, led by their sunbaes (upperclassmen), excited students wearing blue for Yonsei and red for Korea University converged upon Jamsil Sports Complex to support their athletic teams in the tradition-laden sports competition.

   • 2016, Julie Choi, Creating a Multivocal Self: Autoethnography as Method, page 55:

     Minwoo was an active participant in Korean sporting clubs, hung out with Korean sunbaes [seniors] in his department and lived with Korean roommates in his dormitory.

2. (South Korean pop culture fandom slang) An older or more experienced idol, viewed as a veteran, mentor, or predecessor.
   • 2017, Chew Hui Ling, "All About The TWICEcoaster", Teenage, May 2017, page 43:

     While it did seem like TWICE was set on the fast track to stardom – after all, the JYP darlings were expected to follow in the footsteps of their 'Tell Me' sunbaes – their road to success was far from smooth-sailing.

   • 2019, Sabah S. Themis, "YG Bows Out From His Entertainment Company", BusinessMirror, 23 June 2019, page 5:

     Winner and iKon learned and grew by following their sunbaes' (seniors) footsteps.

   • 2019, Helen Rodgers, "NCT 127: Live In London", UKP Magazine, August 2019, page 12:

     The members were decked out in classic 90s fashion which was very reminiscent of their sunbaes H.O.T.

Coordinate terms

• hoobae