{"id":6536,"date":"2022-08-23T18:00:54","date_gmt":"2022-08-23T18:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=6536"},"modified":"2022-08-23T18:00:54","modified_gmt":"2022-08-23T18:00:54","slug":"gganbu-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/gganbu-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Gganbu \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you watching the \u2018Squid Game\u2019 series on Netflix? The old man in the series calls the lead character his \u2018gganbu<\/em><\/strong>,\u2019 but what does it mean?<\/p>\n

This post unpacks everything you need to know about this expression.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

The expression \u2018gganbu<\/em>\u2019 comes from the hit 2021 TV series, \u2018Squid Game,\u2019<\/em> released on Netflix.<\/p>\n

The series aired in Korean, with English subtitles available for international audiences. During the series, the lead character develops relationships with a handful of the other players in the Squid Game.<\/p>\n

One of the characters is an old man who calls the lead character \u2018gganbu<\/em>.\u2019 He says he would call his childhood playmate his \u2018gganbu<\/em>,\u2019 as a respectful reference. While the word sounds authentic, it\u2019s actually not a genuine Korean word and has no meaning in Korean. It is also not a slang word in the language.<\/p>\n

The phrase doesn\u2019t have much use outside of the series, as it\u2019s not a real word. The decline in the series' popularity also means you\u2019re less likely to encounter it online.<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re my gganbu. I trust you above everyone else in my life, and it\u2019s me and you to the end, my friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf someone is your gganbu, they are your best friend, and you trust them with your life. It\u2019s a way of describing your connection to your best friends when you were young.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re my gganbu, why are you plotting against me with my enemies? You\u2019re supposed to be the one person I can trust in life, and you betray me like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGganbu is supposedly a Korean word for \u2018best friend.\u2019 The thing is, no Koreans know what the word means. It\u2019s like they made it up for the series or something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

Origin<\/h2>\n

The term \u2018gganbu\u2019 originates from the hit series \u2018Squid Game,\u2019 released by Netflix in 2021. The series revolves around a game where contestants play for a chance to win millions but pay for it with their lives when they lose.<\/p>\n

The lead character develops a relationship with an old man during the series. The two become close, looking out for each other during the games. The old man refers to the younger as his \u2018gganbu,\u2019 explaining it\u2019s a term he used to call his best friend when he was young.<\/p>\n

The term became popular in 2021 during the release of the \u2018Squid game\u2019 series. However, it\u2019s not an official Korean word or slang reference, and it has no utility outside the series.<\/p>\n