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Time of India
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Time of India
Testosterone girls, Estrogen boys! Korean fashion trend is redefining gender style
Korea's youth obsess over "testosterone girls" and "estrogen boys" in viral personality trend replacing MBTI with hormone-based dating compatibility If you thought MBTI was the ultimate personality test, think again! Korean Gen Z has discovered something way more intriguing - classifying people based on hormones rather than psychology. The "Teto-Egen" trend is absolutely exploding across Korean social media, with everyone from celebrities like actress Han Ga-in to your average college student jumping on this bandwagon. So what exactly are we talking about here? "Teto-nam" (testosterone boys) are your classic alpha males - direct, sporty, with natural leadership vibes. Meanwhile, "Egen-nyeo" (estrogen girls) are the soft, emotional, and nurturing types who prefer following rather than leading. But here's where it gets interesting - "Teto-nyeo" (testosterone girls) are the bold, tomboyish women who take charge, while "Egen-nam" (estrogen boys) are the sensitive, fashion-conscious guys who prioritize emotions over machismo. Why This Trend Is Bigger Than MBTI Ever Was The numbers don't lie - this trend has become so mainstream that even Korean AI companies are using it to test their chatbots' understanding of local culture. What started as a simple online personality quiz has evolved into a complete lifestyle and fashion guide, with different styling tips for each "hormone type". by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indonesia: Unsold Sofas Prices May Surprise You (Prices May Surprise You) Sofas | Search Ads Search Now Undo Unlike MBTI's 16 complex categories, the hormone classification offers just four easy-to-understand types that instantly tell you someone's vibe. A 25-year-old office worker who identifies as "Teto-nyeo" explained, "It perfectly matches my tough personality image". Another 30-year-old added that it helps understand others better, especially in dating scenarios. The trend has become so sophisticated that it now includes hybrid types like "Ete-nam" (estrogen-testosterone boys) and "Tege-nam" (testosterone-estrogen boys) for those who don't fit neatly into the original four categories. Fashion Gets the Hormone Treatment Too The trend has spawned an entire fashion subculture, with style guides specifically tailored to each hormone type. "Egen-nyeo" fashion focuses on soft, feminine pieces - think flowy dresses, pastel colors, and delicate accessories that emphasize a petite frame. Celebrities like Park Ji-won and Jang Won-young have become style icons for this category with their sweet, innocent looks. On the flip side, "Teto-nyeo" style embraces edgy, tomboyish elements - band t-shirts, chunky sneakers, and oversized fits that project confidence and independence. The interesting twist? Many influencers are mixing both styles, creating hybrid looks that blend feminine softness with masculine edge. The Backlash and Concerns Not everyone's buying into the hormone hype. Seoul National University psychology professor Kwak Geum-ju warns that this classification system could narrow people's thinking by reinforcing gender stereotypes. Critics argue that dividing personalities based on "male" and "female" hormones potentially strengthens outdated gender role expectations rather than breaking them down. The concern is that while the trend appears progressive by celebrating "masculine women" and "feminine men," it still operates within a binary framework that could limit how people express their authentic selves. Some worry it might pressure individuals to fit into specific hormone-based boxes rather than embracing the full spectrum of human personality.
Asia News Network
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Asia News Network
‘Teto' or ‘egen'? Young Koreans turn to hormone-inspired identity tests
July 14, 2025 SEOUL – Bae Sung-jin, a 30-year-old office worker, says there's now one more way to check compatibility during blind dates. 'I get emotionally drained easily and tend to be very sensitive in relationships. So I make sure to check their MBTI and whether they're a 'teto' or 'egen' type,' he said. Twenty-two-year-old Lee, who recently got into so-called 'identity tests,' introduced herself as follows: 'I'm an 'egen woman,' so feminine clothing suits me well. But my personality is more like a 'teto woman.' — I'm bold and outgoing.' A new personality classification trend has taken hold among young singles in Korea, with the rise of the 'teto-egen' test. The test uses analogies to testosterone and estrogen levels to analyze interpersonal styles and energy types. Social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube Shorts are awash with users sharing their results. The trend has spilled into pop culture as well. Young K-pop fans analyze celebrities based on the theory: Aespa's Winter is labeled a teto woman, Karina an egen woman, Suzy a teto woman and IU an egen woman. Countless videos and comment threads speculate about celebrities' personality types by combining their clothing style, speech patterns and dating histories. Hormonal archetypes go viral The 'teto' and 'egen' arcetypes are derived from the hormones testosterone and estrogen, respectively. According to the typology, a teto man is masculine and athletic, while an egen man is gentle and appearance-conscious. A teto woman is expressive and extroverted, whereas an egen woman is reserved and traditionally feminine. The teto-egen test from the personality test platform, Types, had attracted over 1.16 million participants as of Thursday. The test, consisting of 28 questions, produces results such as gentle egen man or commander-like teto woman. One of the main draws of this test is its romantic compatibility analysis. Emotionally sensitive egen men are said to be attracted to charismatic teto women, while strong-willed teto men are seen as well-matched with caring egen women. The test gained even more attention after the final episode of 'SNL Korea' season 2 on Coupang Play last month featured a skit titled 'When a Teto Man Falls in Love.' In the episode, boy group BTOB's Yook Sung-jae, cast as an egen man, is dumped by his teto girlfriend for a more masculine partner. He undergoes a brutal teto transformation that includes growing a thick beard. The origin of the trend dates back to June 2021, when a diet content creator first posted about it on his blog. It gained popularity through a web cartoonist on Instagram, going viral soon after. For Gen Z, who seek quick ways to define themselves, the trend is a form of self-expression. Online content now covers dating, marriage, fashion, beauty and workplace behavior based on these archetypes. One beauty YouTuber posted a makeup tutorial titled 'Makeup for egen women,' featuring a clean and neat look. There are also countless videos on topics like 'The ideal woman for an egen man,' 'How teto women talk to teto men' and 'How teto women date egen men.' History of typing the self Self-categorization trends are nothing new. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, blood types were a popular personality metric in Korea and Japan. Statements like 'type A people are timid' and 'type B people are selfish' were commonly accepted, even though they originated in racially motivated studies by a Japanese eugenicist that have since been rejected by scientists. Later, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or MBTI, became the most popular personality clasification tool, dividing people into 16 types. People began using MBTI types to explain themselves in conversations and check compatibility on first dates. It even found its way into career planning and hiring processes. Professor Lim Myung-ho of Dankook University's Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy explains the popularity of such trends as rooted in a desire for self-discovery and understanding. 'The trend reflects the MZ generation's effort to understand themselves and build positive relationships with others,' he said. Curiosity or confinement In a nationwide survey by Embrain Trend Monitor involving 1,000 Koreans aged 19 to 59, 76 percent of respondents in their 20s and 71.6 percent in their 30s said they 'want to understand themselves accurately.' The 86 percent of those in their 20s and 87.6 percent of those in their 30s said they were 'curious about who they are,' yet only 22.4 percent and 36.8 percent, respectively, felt they had truly learned about themselves through experience. The results highlight a growing reliance on type-based classifications to explore identity and match behavior to social expectations. In essence, these tests are light-hearted forms of entertainment, but they also serve as tools for introspection, self-expression and social communication. 'In an anxious society, it reflects a desire to feel a sense of belonging and create intimacy in relationships,' said Lim. 'As long as the intense competition among young people continues, these types of classification trends will persist.' However, some experts caution that such identity tests risk reinforcing oversimplified binaries. Framing behavior and traits in terms of gendered hormones can make stereotypes further entreched. 'Humans are wired to categorize and group things. Just like with MBTI or blood types, categorizing people into 'teto men' or 'egen men' is another attempt to simplify complex human nature,' said Kwak Geum-joo, a professor of psychology at Seoul National University. She warned that while such classifications begin as curiosity, they can become self-restrictive if taken too seriously. Professor Lim echoed the concern, 'Blindly believing in these tests can lead to overgeneralization and binary thinking. Identity tests should be treated lightly and used for reference only,' he said.
Straits Times
13-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Straits Times
‘Teto' or ‘egen'? Young S.Koreans turn to hormone-inspired identity tests
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The teto-egen test from the personality test platform, Types, had attracted more than one million participants. SEOUL - Mr Bae Sung-jin, a 30-year-old office worker, says there's now one more way to check compatibility during blind dates. 'I get emotionally drained easily and tend to be very sensitive in relationships. So I make sure to check their MBTI and whether they're a 'teto' or 'egen' type,' he said. Twenty-two-year-old Lee, who recently got into so-called 'identity tests,' introduced herself as follows: 'I'm an 'egen woman,' so feminine clothing suits me well. But my personality is more like a 'teto woman.' — I'm bold and outgoing.' A new personality classification trend has taken hold among young singles in South Korea, with the rise of the 'teto-egen' test. The test uses analogies to testosterone and estrogen levels to analyse interpersonal styles and energy types. Social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube Shorts are awash with users sharing their results. The trend has spilled into pop culture as well. Young K-pop fans analyse celebrities based on the theory: Aespa's Winter is labeled a teto woman, Karina an egen woman, Suzy a teto woman and IU an egen woman. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Government looking at enhancing laws around vaping to tackle issue of drug-laced vapes in Singapore Singapore Why the vape scourge in Singapore concerns everyone Singapore I lost my daughter to Kpod addiction: Father of 19-year-old shares heartbreak and lessons Singapore Organised crime groups pushing drug-laced vapes in Asia including Singapore: UN Asia Why China's high-end hotels are setting up food stalls outside their doors Business MOM, tripartite body, employment tribunals helping 29 Jollibean workers recover unpaid salaries Singapore Geothermal energy present in S'pore, but greater study on costs, stability needed, say experts Singapore Driver arrested after 66-year-old woman dies in car crash at Geylang pasar malam Countless videos and comment threads speculate about celebrities' personality types by combining their clothing style, speech patterns and dating histories. Hormonal archetypes go viral The 'teto' and 'egen' archetypes are derived from the hormones testosterone and estrogen, respectively. According to the typology, a teto man is masculine and athletic, while an egen man is gentle and appearance-conscious. A teto woman is expressive and extroverted, whereas an egen woman is reserved and traditionally feminine. The teto-egen test from the personality test platform, Types, had attracted over 1.16 million participants as of July 10 . The test, consisting of 28 questions, produces results such as gentle egen man or commander-like teto woman. One of the main draws of this test is its romantic compatibility analysis. Emotionally sensitive egen men are said to be attracted to charismatic teto women, while strong-willed teto men are seen as well-matched with caring egen women. The test gained even more attention after the final episode of SNL Korea season 2 on Coupang Play in June featured a skit titled When A Teto Man Falls In Love. In the episode, boy group BTOB's Yook Sung-jae, cast as an egen man, is dumped by his teto girlfriend for a more masculine partner. He undergoes a brutal teto transformation that includes growing a thick beard. The origin of the trend dates back to June 2021, when a diet content creator first posted about it on his blog. It gained popularity through a web cartoonist on Instagram, going viral soon after. For Gen Z, who seek quick ways to define themselves, the trend is a form of self-expression. Online content now covers dating, marriage, fashion, beauty and workplace behavior based on these archetypes. One beauty YouTuber posted a makeup tutorial titled Makeup For Egen women, featuring a clean and neat look. There are also countless videos on topics like 'The ideal woman for an egen man', 'How teto women talk to teto men' and 'How teto women date egen men'. History of typing the self Self-categorisation trends are nothing new. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, blood types were a popular personality metric in Korea and Japan. Statements like 'type A people are timid' and 'type B people are selfish' were commonly accepted, even though they originated in racially motivated studies by a Japanese eugenicist that have since been rejected by scientists. Later, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or MBTI, became the most popular personality clasification tool, dividing people into 16 types. People began using MBTI types to explain themselves in conversations and check compatibility on first dates. It even found its way into career planning and hiring processes. Professor Lim Myung-ho of Dankook University's Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy explains the popularity of such trends as rooted in a desire for self-discovery and understanding. 'The trend reflects the MZ generation's effort to understand themselves and build positive relationships with others,' he said. Curiosity or confinement In a nationwide survey by Embrain Trend Monitor involving 1,000 Koreans aged 19 to 59, 76 percent of respondents in their 20s and 71.6 per cent in their 30s said they 'want to understand themselves accurately'. The 86 per cent of those in their 20s and 87.6 per cent of those in their 30s said they were 'curious about who they are', yet only 22.4 per cent and 36.8 per cent, respectively, felt they had truly learned about themselves through experience. The results highlight a growing reliance on type-based classifications to explore identity and match behavior to social expectations. In essence, these tests are light-hearted forms of entertainment, but they also serve as tools for introspection, self-expression and social communication. 'In an anxious society, it reflects a desire to feel a sense of belonging and create intimacy in relationships,' said Prof Lim. 'As long as the intense competition among young people continues, these types of classification trends will persist.' However, some experts caution that such identity tests risk reinforcing oversimplified binaries. Framing behavior and traits in terms of gendered hormones can make stereotypes further entreched. 'Humans are wired to categorise and group things. Just like with MBTI or blood types, categorizing people into 'teto men' or 'egen men' is another attempt to simplify complex human nature,' said Professor Kwak Geum-joo, a professor of psychology at Seoul National University. She warned that while such classifications begin as curiosity, they can become self-restrictive if taken too seriously. Prof Lim echoed the concern. 'Blindly believing in these tests can lead to overgeneralisation and binary thinking. Identity tests should be treated lightly and used for reference only,' he said. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Korea Herald
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
‘Teto' or ‘egen'? Young Koreans turn to hormone-inspired identity tests
Though seen as playful route for self-discovery, experts urge moderation to avoid stereotyping, self-limiting beliefs Bae Sung-jin, a 30-year-old office worker, says there's now one more way to check compatibility during blind dates. 'I get emotionally drained easily and tend to be very sensitive in relationships. So I make sure to check their MBTI and whether they're a 'teto' or 'egen' type,' he said. Twenty-two-year-old Lee, who recently got into so-called 'identity tests,' introduced herself as follows: 'I'm an 'egen woman,' so feminine clothing suits me well. But my personality is more like a 'teto woman.' — I'm bold and outgoing.' A new personality classification trend has taken hold among young singles in Korea, with the rise of the 'teto-egen' test. The test uses analogies to testosterone and estrogen levels to analyze interpersonal styles and energy types. Social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube Shorts are awash with users sharing their results. The trend has spilled into pop culture as well. Young K-pop fans analyze celebrities based on the theory: Aespa's Winter is labeled a teto woman, Karina an egen woman, Suzy a teto woman and IU an egen woman. Countless videos and comment threads speculate about celebrities' personality types by combining their clothing style, speech patterns and dating histories. Hormonal archetypes go viral The 'teto' and 'egen' arcetypes are derived from the hormones testosterone and estrogen, respectively. According to the typology, a teto man is masculine and athletic, while an egen man is gentle and appearance-conscious. A teto woman is expressive and extroverted, whereas an egen woman is reserved and traditionally feminine. The teto-egen test from the personality test platform, Types, had attracted over 1.16 million participants as of Thursday. The test, consisting of 28 questions, produces results such as gentle egen man or commander-like teto woman. One of the main draws of this test is its romantic compatibility analysis. Emotionally sensitive egen men are said to be attracted to charismatic teto women, while strong-willed teto men are seen as well-matched with caring egen women. The test gained even more attention after the final episode of 'SNL Korea' season 2 on Coupang Play last month featured a skit titled 'When a Teto Man Falls in Love.' In the episode, boy group BTOB's Yook Sung-jae, cast as an egen man, is dumped by his teto girlfriend for a more masculine partner. He undergoes a brutal teto transformation that includes growing a thick beard. The origin of the trend dates back to June 2021, when a diet content creator first posted about it on his blog. It gained popularity through a web cartoonist on Instagram, going viral soon after. For Gen Z, who seek quick ways to define themselves, the trend is a form of self-expression. Online content now covers dating, marriage, fashion, beauty and workplace behavior based on these archetypes. One beauty YouTuber posted a makeup tutorial titled 'Makeup for egen women,' featuring a clean and neat look. There are also countless videos on topics like 'The ideal woman for an egen man,' 'How teto women talk to teto men' and 'How teto women date egen men.' History of typing the self Self-categorization trends are nothing new. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, blood types were a popular personality metric in Korea and Japan. Statements like 'type A people are timid' and 'type B people are selfish' were commonly accepted, even though they originated in racially motivated studies by a Japanese eugenicist that have since been rejected by scientists. Later, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or MBTI, became the most popular personality clasification tool, dividing people into 16 types. People began using MBTI types to explain themselves in conversations and check compatibility on first dates. It even found its way into career planning and hiring processes. Professor Lim Myung-ho of Dankook University's Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy explains the popularity of such trends as rooted in a desire for self-discovery and understanding. 'The trend reflects the MZ generation's effort to understand themselves and build positive relationships with others,' he said. Curiosity or confinement In a nationwide survey by Embrain Trend Monitor involving 1,000 Koreans aged 19 to 59, 76 percent of respondents in their 20s and 71.6 percent in their 30s said they 'want to understand themselves accurately.' The 86 percent of those in their 20s and 87.6 percent of those in their 30s said they were 'curious about who they are,' yet only 22.4 percent and 36.8 percent, respectively, felt they had truly learned about themselves through experience. The results highlight a growing reliance on type-based classifications to explore identity and match behavior to social expectations. In essence, these tests are light-hearted forms of entertainment, but they also serve as tools for introspection, self-expression and social communication. 'In an anxious society, it reflects a desire to feel a sense of belonging and create intimacy in relationships,' said Lim. 'As long as the intense competition among young people continues, these types of classification trends will persist.' However, some experts caution that such identity tests risk reinforcing oversimplified binaries. Framing behavior and traits in terms of gendered hormones can make stereotypes further entreched. 'Humans are wired to categorize and group things. Just like with MBTI or blood types, categorizing people into 'teto men' or 'egen men' is another attempt to simplify complex human nature,' said Kwak Geum-joo, a professor of psychology at Seoul National University. She warned that while such classifications begin as curiosity, they can become self-restrictive if taken too seriously. Professor Lim echoed the concern, 'Blindly believing in these tests can lead to overgeneralization and binary thinking. Identity tests should be treated lightly and used for reference only,' he said.
Time Out
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
This cute 'LimSimi' personality quiz is going viral in Singapore – here's why everyone's taking it
You might remember the "You Simi Flavour" quiz that went viral around this time last year. This year, there's a new personality quiz making waves in Singapore, and just in time for National Day too. Introducing the ' Lim Simi ' personality quiz, a quirky and hyper-local take on your typical MBTI or Enneagram test. Loosely inspired by those personality quizzes we all love to hate, 'Lim Simi' sorts you into a type based on, you guessed it, local drinks. There's teh C kosong, kopi gao, Milo Dinosaur, sugarcane juice, avocado shake, and even soursop juice. Created independently by local creator @tyeckh, the quiz doesn't ask for your email or personal details, just a few minutes of your time and your gut instincts. You'll be taken through a mini-narrative of ten choose-your-own-adventure-style questions. Along the way, you'll travel through a stylised version of Singapore, making pit stops at landmarks like the Merlion, Haji Lane, Gardens by the Bay and even the MRT, all while being asked to choose between options like whether you want to reach your destination quickly and efficiently or take the scenic route. At the end, you'll receive a drink card that reveals your personality type, core traits, strengths and weaknesses, the drinks you vibe with, and the ones that might 'taste funky' to you. For such a short quiz, we found it strangely accurate and we definitely felt attacked by the weaknesses section. The quiz has already gone viral on WhatsApp group chats and Instagram Stories, with thousands sharing their results and comparing drink personalities with friends. It taps into our collective love for fun, low-stakes personality quizzes, plus who wouldn't want to be associated with all our favourite kopitiam drinks?
