Slang · 케이팝에서 ‘누구(nugu)’란?

What does “nugu” mean in K-pop? (누구)케이팝에서 ‘누구(nugu)’란?

Nugu comes from Korean 누구 (“who?”). Online, calling a group “nugu” usually means “I don’t recognize them / they must be obscure” — often dismissive rather than a neutral question.

• Literal: 누구 = who.
• Slang use: a shorthand dunk on acts outside the commenter’s radar (sometimes even mid-tier acts).
• Etiquette: it reads as mockery in most fandom spaces. Prefer “Whose song is this?” or checking the official credit.
• Not an industry rank: agencies do not assign “nugu” as a position. Chart history and roster data are better facts.

Korean fan slang · Glossary · What is stan? · Fandom etiquette.