He joked his date's hometown was 'Demon World.' She froze.

A guy jokes about his blind date's hometown, and the mood shifts fast.

Source & context
Trending on a Korean communityView original post ↗
● Some K-contextDaily lifeCulture shockHow much Korea-context this story assumes. English translations and context by Klore.
채널 > 썸·연애English translation
Anonymous · 8시간

Is joking someone's hometown is 'Demon World' really that bad?인천 출신한테 장난으로 마계라고 하는 거 그렇게 큰 실수인가?

Blind date yesterday: she said she's from Incheon, so I joked 'Demon World Incheon?'어제 소개팅했는데 소개녀 고향이 인천이라길래 바로 "마계 인천?"하고 드립치면서 웃었는데

She went stone-faced instantly — basically a forced work smile.바로 정색하더니 사회생활하는 웃음이라 해야 되나? ^-^ 억지로 이런 웃음 짓고 마는 거야

I asked why; she said she only heard the nickname in college, her area was safe.그래서 분위기 좀 풀어보려고 "왜요 마계 아니예요?" 하니까 자기는 인천에 그런 별명이 있다는 걸 대학교 가서 처음 알았고 자기가 살았던 동네는 치안이 좋았대

Then she argued its crime rate ranks right after Seoul, Jeju, Busan, and Daegu.그러더니 강력범죄율로 보면 서울 제주 부산 대구 다음 수준이라면서 막 열변을 토하더라?

I said 'guess you're really Demon World, so intense' — she went cold, date over.그게 좀 귀여워가지고 내가 아 역시 마계 출신이라 좀 집요하시네 이러니까 그 후로 텐션 죽더니 걍 망함

But isn't 'Demon World' just an internet meme?근데 마계라는 건 걍 인터넷 밈 정도 아니야?

She'd smiled all night, then one line changed her completely — it threw me off.되게 생글생글하게 웃던 애가 저 말 하나로 바로 딴 사람 되니까 솔직히 좀 의아하더라

79 replies on the original6k votes on the original
Trending on a Korean communityView original ↗
💡 Why did one joke wreck the whole date?
A meme branding Incheon as crime-ridden for years, so it lands as a real insult, not banter.vs. the US: like calling a date's hometown 'Gotham.'Klore note
💡 What's a 'work smile'?
A forced smile Koreans use to mask irritation instead of confronting someone.vs. the US: like a tight customer-service smile hiding real annoyance.Klore note

What Koreans said

11 top comments on the original thread, translated
  1. 266 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    You notice she's upset -> normal people stop right there.

    상대가 기분 나빠하는 걸 눈치챔 -> 보통 여기서 그만한다

  2. 97 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    Probably fake lol.

    주작이겠지 ㅋㅋㅋ

  3. 63 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    Talking that shit on a blind date? Word's gonna spread and nobody will set him up again.

    소개팅에서 저런 개소릴 싸는거 보니 소문나서 앞으로 아무도 소개 안해줄듯

Read all 11 translated repliesShow fewer replies
  1. 62 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    He straight up insults where she's from, and even after she politely signals to stop, he doesn't get it.

    다짜고짜 출신지 비하하는데 하지말라고 좋게 눈치줘도 못알아 먹으면 뭐

  2. 57 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    Why would you use internet slang in real life, especially insulting slang, and think it'll go well...

    왜 현실에서 커뮤 용어를... 그것도 비하성 용어를 쓰면서 잘 될 거라고 생각하냐...

  3. 38 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    Being called 'demon world' was annoying enough, but bringing it up again on purpose is what really killed it.

    마계라 놀려서 불쾌한것도 있는데 그걸 끄집어내서 일부러 뒤집는거 보고 정떨어진듯

  4. 18 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    Regional jokes are hard even between old friends, and he's pulling this on a first date?

    오랜 친구들끼리도 하기 힘든게 지역 농담인데 소개팅 자리에서?

  5. 15 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    Wait, looking again, this was a blind date? Is he insane?

    아니 다시보니깐 소개팅이네? 미친거아님?

  6. 15 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    That's on the same level as making an Ilbe-style joke to someone from Jeolla or Gyeongsang.

    저거 전라도나 경상도 사람한테 일베드립 친거랑 같은급인데

  7. 14 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    I'm a high school girl from Incheon — friends calling it 'demon world' is funny, but doing that on a date deserves a smack.

    인천사는 여고생인데 친구가 마계라고 하면 존잼이지만 소개팅에서 저러면 쳐맞아야지

  8. 12 upvotes on the original thread
    Anon· on the original thread

    It's actually hard to be this rude all the way through...

    저렇게 끝까지 싸가지 없기 힘든데..

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