This story is featured in the spring 2026 edition of Dazed. Purchase a copy of the magazine here.
In South Korea, it's uncommon to address older individuals by their given names. Boys typically use the term hyung for older males and noona for older females, while girls are expected to use oppa for older males and unnie for older females. This system serves as a cultural mechanism to express deference to those with greater life experience, reflecting deep-rooted social norms and hierarchical structures within Korean society.
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