Origin and Meaning of the Korean Heart

Have you heard of the Korean Heart? In this article, we will talk about the famous Korean gesture of making a heart with fingers popularized around the world, mainly by K-Pop and Korean Dramas. Taking the opportunity to also discuss curiosities, origin, and even about heart in the Korean language.

The Korean heart gesture is made with just one hand using the fingers crossing the thumb with the index finger similar to the Western gesture for money, but in this case, we remain still forming a kind of V for heart.

In the West, we usually use both hands or arms to make a heart. Koreans and Japanese also make and know this gesture, but using just one hand and two fingers is more discreet and less embarrassing.

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What does the Korean heart gesture mean?

Some may think that Koreans are so greedy that they associate the heart with money. Although the gesture is quite similar, this idea is quite erroneous; it is just a tiny heart that goes far beyond a ♡ or ♥.

The representation of the small V with the fingers well represents the literal heart, since, in fact, the hand perfectly represents the size of a human heart, while the index and thumb fingers in a V shape are the two valves of the heart.

In English, the gesture is known as “Finger Heart” and in Korean as songalag hateu [손가락 하트]. There are rumors that this gesture also means “panties” in Korean sign language and “nipples” if using both hands.

Of course, this gesture can simply be summarized as a demonstration of love and affection for fans and other people. This gesture is currently widely used in photos and when meeting fans. Many fans shout asking for this gesture!

The origin of the Korean heart

The origin of this gesture is quite uncertain; some K-Pop names claim to have made such a gesture since childhood, others presented photos from the 2000s, some claim it is from the year 2002 or say that it was in 2010 that the gesture became popular.

It is difficult to know who is right about the subject, as photos of children could indicate only them performing the money gesture instead of a mini heart. Basically, the origins of this gesture are not clear at all.

Until some time ago, Kim Hye Soo was said to have been responsible for popularizing this gesture. Celebrities of all styles discuss the origin; recently we had Yang Se-hyung and G-Dragon discussing online who originated the gesture.

The meaning behind the Korean heart in dramas

The main reason for the spread of this gesture is the dramas. Many even search for the term “drama heart.” In many dramas, the Korean heart gesture goes far beyond cuteness. It symbolizes contained affection, discreet love, or even that first spark between characters.

In Korean culture, where public displays of affection tend to be more reserved, the finger heart emerges as a visual way to say “I like you” without direct words. This fits perfectly into the narratives of the dramas, where the development of romance tends to be slow, full of tension and small hints.

This silent language of love is one of the reasons why the gesture appears in important scenes — whether between friends, forming couples, or even in comedic moments when the character makes the heart awkwardly just to provoke laughter.

And of course, there are those memorable moments that become GIFs and go viral on social media. How can we forget the protagonist of “Crash Landing on You” making a somewhat clumsy heart? Or the actress from “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo” sending a spontaneous finger heart to her crush?

The V for victory vs V for heart in photos

The V sign is quite popular in Asia and around the world, usually used when taking photos showing two fingers open in a V sign. This sign originally means victory, and it is believed to have origins in Japan, but the sign is popular in both countries.

Generally, the V sign is used to take photos without any special meaning. Nowadays, the Korean heart kind of steals the photo poses from the V gesture. Especially among K-Pop fans from the East and West.

Both gestures are a portrait of Aegyo culture, equivalent to the Kawaii culture of Japan. Many K-Pop singers often pose with these fingers to show love to fans. In Japan, it is hard to find a photo without making the V pose.

Also read: Meaning of Kawaii – Culture of cuteness in Japan

Did Kim Jong-un make the Korean heart sign?

When I searched for Korean Heart on Google, I only came across articles about Kim Jong-un making this gesture in a group photo. Articles raise the theme of what the sign made by Kim Jong-un in the photo means?

After reading these dozens of sites with the same copied news, I realized that the giant article doesn’t even answer the question about the sign. It only talked about the Koreas, the Korean leaders, Trump, and other unrelated things.

Of course, there were many repercussions due to the subject, many comments, as if Kim were an Alien and did not take photos. Of course, the main reason for the repercussion is the fact that the gesture is South Korean, and the relationship between the Koreas is not good.

Asking for a heart in Korean

Heart in the Korean language is similar to the English word Heart and is pronounced hateu [하트]. Of course, there is a more literal way to say heart, which is simjang [심장] that refers literally to the organ of the body. We also have ma-eum-i [마음이] and many variations.

Many K-Pop fans wonder how to ask for a heart in Korean, some of the options are:

하트 해주세요 (hateu haejuseyo)
하트 만들어 줘 (hateu mandeul-eo jwo)
해줘 하트 해줘 (haejwo hateu haejwo)

The above phrases are not very specific; if you want to specify, you can use son hateu [손 하트] to refer to the hand heart and songalag hateu [손가락 하트] to refer to the finger heart or Korean heart.

Just as the Japanese use the word chest to refer to the heart and vice versa. The Korean language also uses words that can refer to the heart like gaseum [가슴] which refers to the chest. See also love in Korean.

Famous people who make hand hearts

The “finger hearts” are undoubtedly one of the biggest cultural exports of South Korea in recent times, with celebrities using the gesture during photos in Korea and abroad. Which of these photos are memorable and can we remember?

BTS days before becoming the most successful K-pop group in the US;
Tom Cruise during the promotion of “Mission Impossible? Fallout” in Seoul;
Taron Egerton while promoting “Eddie the Eagle” in Korea;
Black Pink in a thank you post on Instagram for fans;
G-Dragon in a childhood photo
The members of Wanna One showed different styles of hearts;
Son Heung-min during a return home after a successful season;
Melania Trump during her visit to Seoul;

Do you remember any other famous person who also usually makes the heart with their fingers?

How to draw a Korean Heart?

In the video below, you can learn how to draw a Korean heart, or the Korean gesture and make a heart with one hand: