휑 (hwaeng)

What it means

An empty, hollow feeling — a deserted place, or the emptiness after someone leaves.

When you'll see it

Picture a cold wind sweeping down an empty street, or a classroom after everyone's gone home — that's 휑. It's also an emotional word for the hollow feeling when people leave: the house feels 휑 after friends go home, or a room feels 휑 once the boxes are moved out. Koreans even say the back of their neck feels 휑 after a short haircut.

Where it shows up in manhwa

• An empty room after everyone leaves
• A cold wind across a deserted street
• Feeling hollow after a goodbye

Examples

1. A: 룸메이트 이사 갔다며? B: 응, 짐 빼고 나니까 집이 너무 휑해.

   A: I heard your roommate moved out? B: Yeah, with all their stuff gone, the place feels so empty (휑).

2. 연휴라 다들 고향에 가서 사무실이 휑했다.

   Everyone went home for the holidays, so the office was deserted (휑).

3. 그가 떠난 자리에 차가운 바람만 휑 불었다.

   Where he'd stood, only a cold wind blew past (휑).