User:LucyLauck/Aegyo

Aegyo (Korean: 애교; Hanja: 愛嬌) in Korean refers to a cute display of affection often expressed through a cute voice, altered pronunciations, facial expressions, or gestures. Aegyo literally means behaving in a flirtatious, coquette-ish manner and it is commonly expected for both male and female K-pop idols. 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. Aegyo can also display closeness with others, which can possibly bring people together. The word is often translated as "cuteness" in English,[citation needed] and can be compared to the Chinese concept of sājiāo (撒嬌), or the Japanese concept of kawaii.

Linguistics
Aegyo is not limited to simply "acting cute," and includes several changes to speech, such as affrication, stopping, and /j/ insertion. Aegyo is essentially baby talk, with these changes to speech meant to mimic children. For example, replacing yo (Korean: 요) at the end of a phrase with yong (Korean: 용).