DELULU

/dih-LOO-loo/

Adjective; Noun

Short for delusional; Used to poke fun at someone, usually a devoted celebrity fan, who displays “delusional” behavior (e.g. believing he or she will marry his or her favorite K-Pop idol)

WHAT IS “DELULU”

ORIGIN

Delulu is a slang term that emerged from the word delusional (root word: delusion). In psychology, delusion refers to the inability to distinguish what is real or what is not.

In the early 2010s, the word delulu came to light, specifically among K-Pop fandoms online. It is a playful take on the word delusional and is used to describe a person who is “crazy” for someone he or she idolizes, such as an actor or a musical artist.

According to Merriam Webster, being delulu is synonymous to being an obsessive fan who believes he or she has a special connection with his or her favorite celebrity. The term may also be linked to having parasocial relationships with famous personalities.

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In the 2020s, the term delulu became even more used, especially with the rise of TikTok. Online communities and fan culture intensified the popularity of the word. It is now being used among different platforms, and even in real life.

EXAMPLES

“Call me delulu but I think Jungkook waved at me during the concert.”

“Watching too many Korean dramas is making me delulu.”