DC Inside
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| DC Inside | |
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| URL | http://dcinside.com/ |
| Commercial? | Yes (partly) |
| Type of site | Internet forum |
| Registration | Optional |
| Owner | Yusik Kim |
| Created by | Yusik Kim |
| Launched | October 1999 |
| Current status | Active |
DC Inside (디시인사이드), frequently noted under the initialism DC, is a South Korean internet forum. Initially established as a community dedicated to digital cameras and photography, it has met broad notoriety in Korea due to its unique nature.
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[edit] Overview
DC Inside was opened in October 1999 by Yusik Kim as a community of interest towards discussion specifically pertaining to digital cameras and photography, hosting only a few categorized image boards. The nascent website was primarily populated by early adopters of electronic devices, but later expanded contiguously to the propagation of additional image boards. Presently, it hosts over 500 active boards, and Kim anticipates the count to multiply to over 1000 by the latter half of 2007.[1]
DC Inside does not depart from popular bulletin board systems used in Korea, operating a free-to-use script called Zeroboard. Due to security vulnerabilities and bandwidth issues surrounding Zeroboard, many have publicly expressed their frustration recently in regards to the matter.[2]
The most particular aspect of DC is that it is mandated by the site policy for a poster to append one or more image(s) pertinent to the subject of the board. For instance, posting on a dog gallery will require one to attach a picture of a dog. Infractions to this rule will result in deletion of the violator's specific post by a forum moderator.
Board topics range from generic categories such as socio-politics, science and sports to particular subjects such as those committed to individual celebrities. New galleries with other topics are acknowledged and created if deemed appropriate by the site administrator.
As of lately, DC Inside is under criticism for spreading malicious rumors and attacking rival websites.
[edit] Culture
Alike similar web-based communities, it is difficult to define this growing community, for general atmosphere differ critically hinging on the variety of a board. The Japanese internet forum 2channel is often likened to as its counterpart, serving similar purpose and sharing its chaotic nature and large size.
Members of DC Inside identify themselves as a "galler"(갤러), meaning "an inhabitant of a gallery". This term is used as a suffix to be tied to the name of a gallery, coining a new term such as "makjang galler"(an inhabitant of the makjang gallery). Although the topic of each gallery varies, the majority of members espouse a cultural foundation unique to DC Inside, sharing thoughts in "DC slang" and "DC mentality".
In accordance to its status as an image board, during the entirety of its subsistence, DC Inside has produced a large quantity of internet phenomena existing in South Korea today. The immensity of significance in Korea has led to the creation of the term "surrogate website", often referred to rival communities in order to bolster its image.
[edit] Anonymity
One chief principle DC Inside struggles to maintain is granting one the full liberty of posting anonymously. This is prominently a rare nature for a South Korean website, especially due to the existence of the resident registration number and its widespread use over the web. Given the anonymity, it is common for a person to drop the use of honorifics and distinctions thereof.
As well, general tolerance of expression and the lack of censorship has permitted slander and defamation against public figures and organizations to propagate. In April 29th, 2007, an anonymous post containing several candid photographs of a female news anchor has prompted a police investigation.[3]
One image board in which such incidents arise is the makjang (막장; literally "the end") board, where typical hate speech, as against China and Japan, including individuals inciting the gallery to "raid" another board by means of spamming and flooding.
In July 27th, 2007, due to an injunction by the South Korean Ministry of Intelligence and Communication, DC Inside now requires a brief personal identification before posting a picture or a message. An official commented that DC Inside is approaching a dangerous state of becoming a "troublemaking website".[4]
[edit] Terminology
DC Inside has been credited to many neologisms and memes in Korea.
- Ahehheh (아햏햏) - A phrase believed to have originated as a variant of the onomatopoeia 'ahaha', it characterizes the early DC Inside culture.
- Gwanshim (관심) - Literally means, 'interest'. It is humorously used in messages such as "옛다, 관심", or "Here, you caught my interest." The word usually shows someone's bored or not interested in an article. It is generally used when a poster is seeking attention (interest).
- Heh (햏) - The second and the third syllable of ahehheh. It was used in many ways reminiscent of Buddhist and Taoist concepts of Mu and Tao. A variation, 'hehja' (햏자), meant a DC Inside user, especially one who practiced the 'philosophy' of heh.
- Kingwangjjang (킹왕짱) - A combination of English, Sino-Korean, and Korean slang. It is used in approval of something. King is English, while wang is hanja and jjang is slang (non-hanja) meaning "king","boss" or something excellent.
- Haak-haak (하악하악) - An onomatopoeia indicating someone is excited, in most cases connected to lust or sexuality. It first met popularity as a crude imitation of an otaku. 항가항가(Hangga-Hangga)is a variant.
- Who sad (후새드) - A typo from a video uploaded on World of Warcraft gallery. It is used when expressing guilt or depression. "Who sad" is a spelling error of "Who said".
- Hyeomjjal (혐짤) - "Hate Image", or "an image which incites hatred". The supposed image contains what an ordinary person would be horrified to see, such as a picture of a roadkill, a dead man with his head blown up.
- Meatspin (미트스핀) - The URL of a lurid shock website displaying two homosexual men engaging in anal sex. It spread throughout the entire community and left it replete with prolonged shock and terror.
- Odeok (오덕) - A variant of otaku. It is used pejoratively by those who disapprove of Japanese fandom. The term also withholds the archetype of an average otaku who indulges in Japanese animation.
- Raid (레이드) - It is a pre-emptive attack against another image board or a website involving spamming and flooding.
- Seolri (설리) - An abbreviation of '설레게 하는 리플', which roughly translates as "a reply which thrills the poster". This, in actuality, is a mockery of the original poster who would expectedly check his thread to find a meaningless reply, the seolri.
- Imwobyeong (이뭐병) - An abbreviation of '이건 뭐 병신도 아니고', which can be literally translated as, "This isn't even a retard." The implication is that the person being addressed to has transcended the level of common idiocy.
- Kunsung (근성) - Used to describe one's tenacity and willingness to do mundane work.
- Jimotmi(지못미) - An abbreviation of '지켜주지 못해 미안해', which can be translated as, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."
- Uwangkgood (우왕ㅋ굳ㅋ) - An expression which finds its origin in a comic strip from Cartoon Gallery. Noted for its charming cadence, the phrase was one of the more prevailing ones in 2007.
- Ssexx(쎾쓰) - A variant of the word sex typed while continually pressing the Shift button on the keyboard. Originating from Makjang Gallery, it is used as an interjection.
- Dutbojap (듣보잡) - An abbreviation of '듣도 보도 못한 잡것', which can be literally translated as, "Fool who cannot be seen in any places." Often used in slang talks and swearing other person.
