This article is by Shin Min-hee and read by an artificial voice.

It's official: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un disapproves of oppa, the word used by women and girls to refer to an older man or boy. He's already called it "perverted" before, but he is going as far as forbidding North Koreans from using the word on their smartphones.

The development surfaced in a recent BBC report that our northern neighbor is blocking people from using certain South Korean terms via a surveillance software installed on their smartphones.

When typing in the word "oppa" on a North Korean smartphone smuggled across the border, it automatically changed the word to dongji, meaning "comrade," along with a warning that the other word is only allowed to be used to describe siblings.

It's ironic, considering that Kim has a younger - and quite powerful - sister, Kim Yo-jong. Why would he take issue with the word when he is technically an oppa himself?

The word is actually not just used to refer to your older brother, but it's also a term of affection and endearment. International fans of K-pop and K-dramas have specifically used "oppa" to refer to their favorite male celebrities, regardless of age.

"Oppa" was even added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2021, extending its definition to "An attractive South Korean man, especially a famous or popular actor or singer."

One might ask if the oppa ban reflects Kim Jong-un's bruised ego over not enjoying the same heartthrob status as Cha Eun-woo or Park Bo-gum.

South Korea has an overwhelmingly developed system when it comes to address terms; it's possible to put a different label on everyone you can think of.

If the English language uses the single term "uncle" for your parents' brother, the Korean language has several. Your father's brother - samchon - is distinguished from your mother's brother - oesamchon. But wait: "Samchon" changes again if your father's brother gets married - if he is the elder sibling, he becomes a keunabeoji, meaning "big father," or jageunabeoji, "little father," if he is younger.

So many address terms to remember in South Korea, but to make matters worse, societal cues have altered the acceptability of each term, despite their literal definitions, sometimes resulting in confusion or even violent altercations.

What other common terms defy their original meanings, and which ones should you avoid using? And ultimately, what is the appropriate way to call each other in the Korean language?

Ajumma, she-who-must-not-be-named?

What follows is critical to keep in mind: Whatever you do, never call a middle-aged woman "ajumma."

It doesn't matter if she is 45 or even 70; "ajumma" is considered a pejorative. The term is distinctive from "ma'am," which is generally considered a polite form to address a woman regardless of age, unlike the heavy emphasis on age with "ajumma."

Last year, a 64-year-old woman was sentenced to 12 months in prison after throwing a soju bottle and glass at a 48-year-old man, which resulted in a facial injury.

The woman reportedly told police during the investigation that she was "angry" at the man for calling her "ajumma."

It's not the first time an assault incident occurred due to aversion toward the word. In 2023, a 35-year-old woman was sentenced to eight years in prison on charges of swinging a sashimi knife at three passengers on the subway after one called her "ajumma" and asked her to lower the volume on her phone.

"It's true that women our age are not fond of that word," said a 48-year-old woman surnamed Lee who lives in Incheon. "I think the term 'ajumma' feels like a dismissive way of referring to middle-aged women; especially when older men use it to talk down to women."

Yakult, the company that makes the country's beloved fermented dairy drink, also took steps to erase any association with the word. Its couriers, typically women in uniform who ride around in delivery carts, were rebranded as "Fresh Manager" in 2019, bidding farewell to the formerly ...