The Meaning of 답정너: The Answer's Already Decided — You Just Have to Say It
A friend asks you this: “This outfit doesn’t really suit me, right? Right?” But from the look on their face, they’ve already made up their mind to buy it. If you answer honestly — “Yeah, not really” — it’s obvious they’ll deflate on the spot. The truth is, there’s only one answer they want to hear: “No way, it’s gorgeous!” For situations like this, where the answer the other person wants is already fixed in advance, Koreans have a single, perfect word. That’s today’s expression: 답정너 (dapjeongneo).
답정너
답정너 (dapjeongneo) is an abbreviation made by taking the first letter of each part of the longer sentence “답은 정해져 있고 너는 대답만 하면 돼” (“The answer’s already decided, and you just have to say it”). It’s a piece of internet slang coined by the younger generation, and by now it’s used very commonly in everyday conversation too.
It’s important to get the nuance exactly right. 답정너 refers to a person who pretends to be asking a question but is really forcing you to give a predetermined compliment or agreement — or the situation itself. They’re not actually curious about your opinion; they just want confirmation of what they already want to hear. Because of that, the word carries a slightly teasing, playfully chiding feel. It’s not a harsh insult, but flat-out saying “너 답정너지?” (“You’re a 답정너, aren’t you?”) pinpoints exactly what someone’s secretly thinking, so it’s best to be careful using it with people you’re not close to.
Example Sentences by Situation
Situation 1. To a friend showing off new clothes
Your friend says, “These shoes are kind of pricey… what if they don’t suit me?” — but their eyes are already sparkling.
야, 너 완전 답정너 (dapjeongneo) 네. 그냥 예쁘다고 말해 달라는 거잖아. (Hey, you’re such a total 답정너. You just want me to say they’re cute.)
Here you’re teasing them by pinpointing that they don’t want your opinion — they want a compliment.
Situation 2. When choosing what to eat
A friend says, “What should we eat today? Anything’s fine,” but when you suggest gimbap, they reply, “Hmm… isn’t that kind of meh?”
아무거나 괜찮다며. 이거 완전 답정너 (dapjeongneo) 아니야? 그냥 치킨 먹고 싶다고 해! (You said anything’s fine. Isn’t this totally 답정너? Just say you want chicken!)
This is a case where they pretend to give you a choice, but the answer’s already decided.
Situation 3. To yourself, when you’re being self-deprecating
답정너 isn’t only for teasing others — you can also use it honestly about yourself.
사실 나 답정너 (dapjeongneo) 였어. 그냥 잘했다는 말이 듣고 싶었나 봐. (Honestly, I was being a 답정너. I guess I just wanted to hear that I did well.)
It’s an expression that lightens the mood by sheepishly admitting the truth about yourself.
Formal vs. Casual Speech, and Similar Expressions
Since 답정너 is slang, it’s mainly used in casual speech (반말) between friends. But if you absolutely have to use it at work or in front of elders, you can soften it and switch to formal speech (존댓말).
- Casual: 너 답정너지? (neo dapjeongneo-ji?)
- Formal (softened): 답은 이미 정해 두신 것 같아요. (dabeun imi jeonghae dusin geot gatayo.) (“It seems like you’ve already decided on the answer.”)
A similar Korean expression is 뻔하다 (ppeonhada, meaning the outcome is plainly obvious), as in “네 대답 뻔하다” (“Your answer’s obvious”). That said, 답정너 is more specific in that it’s “coercion dressed up in the form of a question.”
Cultural Background
답정너 was born in Korea’s online communities and spread widely through variety show and drama dialogue. Because Koreans place great importance on being considerate of the other person’s feelings, when someone asks a question 답정너-style, you find yourself momentarily torn between telling the truth and saying something nice. Since it’s a word that captures this subtle culture of reading the room (눈치), using this one phrase naturally makes you come across as someone with a much more alive sense of the Korean language.
Closing Quiz
A friend asks, “I think I totally bombed this exam… don’t you think?” — but their expression looks quietly confident. In reality, they want to hear “You probably did great.” In a moment like this, what’s today’s expression you could offer this friend with a smile?
(Answer: 너 답정너지? (neo dapjeongneo-ji?) — because they’ve already decided on the answer and are just waiting for a compliment!)