[Korean Culture & Language] Cider

Hello, this is Uptempo Marketers!


In my last article, I covered that 고구마(sweet potato) can describe frustrating situations or people. 

The word “사이다” describes the complete opposite. 

사이다 is one of the oldest and most popular soft drinks in Korea. Even though it’s pronounced as “cider,” it’s not an apple-based drink you would normally imagine. It's more like Sprite or 7-Up with a mild lemon-lime taste. 


https://mall.lottechilsung.co.kr/plan/planMagazineDetailDisplay.lecs?spdpNo=24683

Since bubbly drinks are refreshing and can even improve the digestion process and swallowing, 사이다 symbolizes the feeling of relief from frustrating situations. 

Do you remember how Koreans believe that 고구마 can lead to indigestion? 사이다 can help with that! 사이다발언 is a speech where a speaker is direct and clear with their points, usually with short and impactful words. Listeners get a sense of relief from it, especially because many Koreans are expected to conform and not stand up for themselves. 

It’s interesting how 사이다 발언s are becoming popular in Korea, because Koreans are typically expected to speak indirectly. There’s even a saying “모난 돌이 정 맞는다,” which has a similar meanging to “Tall poppy gets cut down”. Because standing out isn’t typically a good thing in Korea, Koreans generally use indirect communication. Because indirect communication understates someone’s point, it can lead to confusion and frustration. This is how President Moon got a reputation of being a good-mannered 고구마. 

Are all politicians in Korea like 고구마, then?
Most definitely not. Jae-myung, Lee, the presidential candidate for 2016 and 2022, is the complete opposite and is called “사이다”. He is quick to react to social issues and not afraid to come out and express what he believes. In fact, he was the first leader to support impeachment of president Park Geun-hye in 2016.

Even though his opponents judge him and say that he is “too straightforward,” he stands his ground. When President Moon claimed during the 2016 elections that “Sweet potatoes satisfy hunger but 사이다s don’t,” Jae-myung Lee had a good comeback saying, “You get indigested if you suddenly eat sweet potatoes by themselves… 고구마 and 사이다 are a good match”. 

However, 사이다발언  can be controversial in Korea for cultural reasons stated above. It can be seen as someone speaking without a filter. 

https://www.hankookilbo.com/News/Read/A2021071815400002557

https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/20961718#home


고구마 people can make you feel indigested by being indirect and keeping things to themselves but they are well-mannered, while 사이다 people speak your mind but can be seen as rude sometimes. Having a balance between those two would be the best, but if you were to choose from the two, which one would you rather have as your friend, president, family, or romantic partner? 

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