Finger heart
The finger heart gesture is a trend that was popularized in South Korea during the 2010s. The thumb and index finger of one hand are crossed to form a heart shape, and an invisible virtual heart is imagined above it.[1]
Popular usage
Before the appearance of finger hearts, it was common to make small hearts with two hands or to make large hearts by raising and curving both arms above the head. Conventionally, heart display using both hands and arms has been performed worldwide, but finger hearts are also called Korean Finger Hearts because they originated and became popular in South Korea.
Misinterpretation of the gesture
In South Korea, it is a known symbol among K-pop stars and their fans, and is popularly performed using the thumb and index finger.[2] The thumb and index finger gesture has become popular across Asia due to the popularity of K-pop and Korean dramas, and increasingly so in other parts of the world as a factor of the Korean Wave.
During the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, The North Face provided gloves with highlighted thumb and index finger sleeves to highlight this symbol. [3]
See also
References
- Boboltz, Sara (2018-02-09). "Everything You Need To Know About South Korea's Finger Heart Trend". HuffPost. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
- "US Olympians Try Their Hands at K-Pop's 'Finger Heart.' What's That?". NBC Chicago. 2018-02-09. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
- "Five trendy 2018 Winter Olympics K-fashion items to keep you feeling warm and looking cool". South China Morning Post. 2018-02-06.