() in Korean is a normalized gendered performance that involves a cute display of affection often expressed through a cute voice, changes to speech, facial expressions, or gestures. A similar expression is (; ). literally means behaving in a flirtatious, coquettish manner and it is commonly expected for both male and female K-pop idols and also expected or demanded from exclusively younger females in Korean society in a way which reinforces or reflects Korea's traditional gender roles. However, it is not uncommon for everyday people to behave in such a way, and is widely used as an expression of affection towards loved ones, family, and friends, and also as a hyper-sexualized form of seduction. can also display closeness with others, which is possible to bring people together. The word is often translated as "cuteness" in English, and can be compared to the Chinese concept of (), or the Japanese concepts of and amae.
In their study, scholar Aljosa Puzar and Hong Yewon argue that " is almost certainly a strong contributing element to the discursive organisation of the 'ideal Korean woman', repeatedly reinforced by narratives and images produced and reproduced throughout everyday lives and mediatic representations." Puzar and Hong additionally conclude that is essentially in the end how Korean women navigate what "amounts to societal oppression" and that aegyo is essentially a reflection of an unequal power distribution in South Korea.
In some or many cases, men expect this behavior to be "innate" or spontaneous. This means that men expect women to be naturally cute and submissiveâÂÂ-and imagine that this behavior is natural for women instead of a result of cultural expectations. Generally, men welcome this behavior only when it is viewed as natural, so women are expected to perform this behavior in a way that it seems natural or can be imagined as innate by the man, essentially meaning that men expect or believe that this highly infantilized and submissive woman is a "natural" state or behavior.
is not limited to simply "acting cute", and includes several changes to speech, such as affrication, stopping, and /j/ insertion. is essentially baby talk, with these changes to speech meant to mimic children. For example, replacing () at the end of a phrase with () or ().
Puzar and Hong argue that aegyo is a manifestation of patriarchy and gender roles in everyday life. They argue women can either explicitly choose to use aegyo for social reasons or are pressured into doing so by societal expectations. The Asia Pacific Journal of Anthropology describes as a "layered phenomenon standing in productive relations with other ideas and concepts typical of Korean remaining hierarchical (patriarchal and gerontocratic) societal organisation."
Puzar argues that in popular culture affects how young South Korean women act, especially in romantic relationships. For example, using cute hand gestures and expressions in photos are common behaviors among many young women in South Korea.