[New Slang Dictionary] Talming-out - Please Don’t Tease, It’s a Disease

In an era with 10 million people experiencing hair loss, more individuals are actively coming out about their hair loss and engaging in treatment and management. Illustration by artist Oh Seongsu

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] In the early morning of August 17 last year, a murder occurred in an apartment in Sejong City. A (30) and B (40), who worked at the same restaurant, finished work and drank together at home. As the alcohol took effect, B began to point out A’s wig. A suffered from severe hair loss and wore a wig, a fact he did not want to reveal. A often asked B, who knew about his hair loss and wig, to keep it a secret. However, on that day, intoxicated B repeatedly teased A by calling him “bald.” Feeling more shame and humiliation from the teasing than from the alcohol, A brought a weapon and killed B on the spot. Such incidents happen repeatedly. In December, a similar case occurred where a Chinese-Korean stabbed a junior who teased him for being bald. Going further back, a murder at a pub near Seokchon Lake in Seoul in 2003 involved the same issue. For those who have become bald against their will, hair loss is a painful blow to their pride, and wigs are weapons to hide that pain. Therefore, hair loss is a secret no one wants to share.

“Talming-out” is a portmanteau of “talmo” (hair loss) and “coming out,” meaning to openly confess one’s hair loss. Hair loss has been a long-standing human challenge, and no complete cure has been found to date. Wigs have been used since ancient Egypt, and Hippocrates, the father of medicine, developed a remedy mixing horseradish, opium, and pigeon droppings to try to preserve thinning hair. Recently, especially among younger generations, “talming-out”?openly acknowledging hair loss and actively managing it?is spreading. The Korean Hair Loss Treatment Society estimates the potential hair loss population in Korea at 10 million. Hair loss is not a subject for ridicule but a disease requiring treatment. It is time to build empathy, recognizing that anyone, including myself, might experience hair loss someday.

Example

A: Hey, you changed your hairstyle? It suits you. But why did you lower your bangs?
B: My hairline has been receding lately. I can’t even try slicking it back anymore.
A: Man, I noticed my hair falling out a lot when I wash it. The crown area is thinning.
B: We’re both talming-out together. But these days, even high schoolers take Propecia to prevent it early.
A: Ah, if only I had started taking medicine and being careful with shampoo back then... I’ll take better care from now on.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.