Definition
Did you ever make up a secret signal with friends that nobody else knew? Language has its own versions of this: words reshaped for a purpose and an audience. Argot is language a particular group uses among themselves to keep secrets from outsiders. Slang, on the other hand, is informal everyday speech that drops the formality to add fun or warmth. Neither one is the standard language you find in textbooks. But both are important ways to build a sense of belonging and to carry feelings vividly.
Argot: A Secret Code That Keeps Outsiders Out
Maybe you remember passing notes to a friend and swapping letters for a code so nobody would catch on. In Korean, the word for argot is written with a character meaning 'to hide.' That is the whole point: secrecy from outsiders is its defining trait. In the past, wild ginseng diggers (심마니, simmani) called wild ginseng 심 (sim) to hide where they were searching. When they found some, they shouted 심봤다! (simbwatda, 'I found one!'). Market traders also had their own words for passing the cost price and the margin back and forth behind a customer's back. These are classic examples of argot.
Argot is still used by many groups today. Words that gamers invent to share tactics without the other team knowing are one example. But words whose goal is fast, accurate communication rather than secrecy, such as medical abbreviations in a hospital, are usually called 'jargon' and kept separate from argot.
So argot works like a shield that protects important information from the outside. At the same time, it is a special key that gives the people who know it a tight bond and a sense of sameness.
Slang: Loosening Up to Share Feelings in Everyday Speech
In Korean, the word for slang is written with a character meaning 'common' or 'of the people.' It means the casual, sometimes rough talk that ordinary people trade every day. Unlike argot, its goal is not to hide meaning. It is informal language that spreads widely among the public. Words like 뻥치다 (ppeongchida, 'to talk big or bluff'), 열받다 (yeolbatda, 'to get steamed up') and 대박 (daebak, 'a huge hit, awesome') pop out naturally when you want to show your feelings honestly and strongly.
Slang breaks out of the fence of stiff grammar and brings energy and warmth into a conversation. Between close friends who don't need to be formal, a well-placed bit of slang can shrink the distance between you in an instant.
But in an official presentation, or when you need to show respect to an elder, slang can sound flippant or rude. It is a spice that makes feelings taste good, but you need the judgment to choose it to fit the situation and the person.
A Little More Precisely: How Argot Turns into Slang
Argot and slang are not two completely separate islands. When argot that once passed quietly inside one group leaks out through TV or the internet, it can turn into slang that anyone enjoys using.
For example, 꼽사리 (kkopsari, 'butting in on someone else's game'), which once meant cutting into another person's hand at a gambling table, and 삥땅 (ppingttang, 'skimming a bit off the fare'), a word widely linked to bus conductors secretly pocketing part of the fares, are everyday slang now. Given enough time to settle into daily speech, such words can even get into the Korean dictionary and, rarely, be accepted as standard Korean.
So argot and slang are not just bad words to stay away from. They are living power plants of language, capturing the trends and feelings of their time and keeping Korean constantly fresh.
Common misconceptions
Argot and slang both ruin the language, so you should never use them.
You should avoid them in formal settings or when politeness is needed. But argot and slang are natural language phenomena that strengthen group bonds and express feelings richly. Over time, some become popular and are even accepted as standard words.
Where you meet it
In an online game, tactical terms that only teammates agree on, so the other team can't catch on, are an example of argot.
When you're chatting with a friend and feel great, shouting 대박 (daebak, 'awesome') or 완전 쩔어 (wanjeon jjeoreo, 'totally amazing') is slang.
In one sentence
Argot is a code for a group's secrets and unity. Slang is everyday public speech that loosens formality to carry feelings.