ㅋㅋ (kk)
Korean text laughter written with repeated kiyeok letters
Meaning
It denotes laughter in Korean online text, from a light chuckle to open laughter. The tone is casual and friendly in most chats. Teenagers and adults use it daily in messages and comments.
Origin
The exact first use is unknown and the origin is disputed. It is commonly credited to late 1990s Korean PC chat and early messenger culture. Writers shortened laughter sounds like kiki and keukeu to repeated ㅋ. Text messages, forums and blogs then spread the form nationwide.
How it's used
People add it after a joke, a mistake or an awkward message to soften the tone. The count matters, with ㅋㅋ as light and ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ as stronger laughter. It acts as an interjection and does not inflect.
Example
I saw your photo from Busan ㅋㅋ you look tired.
Variants & related
Common forms include ㅋ, ㅋㅋㅋ, ㅎㅎ and ㅎㅎㅎ, plus mixed forms like ㅋㅎㅋ. Related laughter marks include Japanese w, English lol and haha. The opposite tone is ㅠㅠ for tears.
Common misunderstandings
Outsiders often read one ㅋ as cold or sarcastic, which depends on context. It is not an abbreviation of a word and has no relation to Latin K. Using many ㅋ in formal mail reads as rude.