Korean words in the Oxford English DictionaryLanguage
Daebak (대박) — “awesome!”
Daebak is an interjection of enthusiastic approval. In Korean it first meant a big hit or jackpot.
OED update: September 2021Korean: 대박 (daebak)Part of speech: interjectionUpdated Oct 20, 2026
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What it means
Daebak (대박) is what you say when something is amazing: “Wow!”, “Awesome!”, “No way!”. It can also be about a big success, like a hit show.
In the OED
The OED added “daebak” in September 2021. Coverage gives its definition as an interjection expressing enthusiastic approval. Reports also note it was originally used for something lucrative or desirable, and the OED now treats it as an adjective too, as in “This show is daebak!”
How it's used in Korea
In Korea daebak works for good news and for surprises: 대박! (Wow!), 대박 났다 (it became a big hit). Tone decides the meaning.
Example
“대박! 이거 진짜 맛있어요.” (Wow! This is really delicious.)