Korean · Culture & Society
왕따

wangtta

Also written: wangta; social outcast; group exclusion; bullying target

A person who is deliberately and persistently excluded, isolated, or ostracized by a peer group; the term is closely associated with school and workplace bullying.

Literal meaning

a person severely excluded by the group

Cultural context

Wangtta is stronger than simply being unpopular or alone. It points to collective exclusion and may involve harassment, rumor spreading, intimidation, digital abuse, or pressure on others not to associate with the target.

How dramas use it

School and workplace dramas depict a wangtta being isolated from meals, group work, messages, social activities, or institutional protection.

Usage & formality

The person is the wangtta; the broader behavior may be described as 따돌림 or 집단 따돌림. Avoid translating it only as “bullying” when the key mechanism is organized exclusion.