Hangul syllable sseom

It names romantic interest before a couple makes things official. 썸 is the fuzzy stage where two people seem to like each other but have not called themselves a couple. 썸 타다 names the stage; 썸남 and 썸녀 label the man or woman in it.

Korean reporting explains 썸 타다 as combining the start of the English word something with 타다, the Korean verb meaning “to ride”; the full phrase is idiomatic, not literal riding. A 2012 new-word report from South Korea’s National Institute of the Korean Language already lists 썸남 and 썸녀. A 2014 retrospective connects 썸 with the older phrase 사랑과 우정 사이 (“between love and friendship”), showing that the label is newer than the in-between feeling.

What does 썸 mean when someone sends it?

They are describing an almost-relationship, not declaring you partners. If someone calls you 썸남 or 썸녀, they are placing you in an almost-dating role; 썸 타다 names the stage. The word does not settle whether you and the other person want the same thing.

In 2014, reporting described students discussing the stage as an exciting way to get close while avoiding rejection. It also found the term in online-board posts and KakaoTalk messages, songs, dramas, ads, and webtoons. Its register is casual relationship slang, not a formal status.