Do you know the meaning of “렉카” in Korean?
“렉카[rek-kah]” is how Koreans pronounce “wrecker,” which means a tow truck. Nowadays, the word is frequently used to refer to yellow journalism on YouTube. To understand the etymology, we need to first understand the stereotypical perception of tow trucks in Korea.
Tow Trucks in Korea
Tow trucks are notorious in Korea. The typical image of tow trucks is that, whenever there’s a car crash, they are the first ones to arrive at the scene. In fact, multiple tow trucks will show up out of nowhere in no time. Amid the chaos, they will disappear with your car. You will later figure out that your car is already in the garage of a car repair affiliated with the tow truck. Then you’ll feel bitter thinking that someone took advantage of your trouble.
Many people also complains that they drive like “outlaws on the road.” Tow trucks are known for their violent driving because many tow truck driver’s are sole proprietors whose income depends on how quickly they arrive at the scene.
This is how the word “렉카” has developed a negative connotation. Next, we’ll examine how the word acquired a new meaning with the rise of YouTube.
The Rise of “Cyber” Tow Trucks
With the rise of YouTube, “사이버 렉카,” which means “cyber tow trucks” became as infamous as the actual tow trucks. 사이버 렉카 refers to YouTubers who cover hot topics in a sensationalized or exaggerated way to gain viewership.
Such YouTubers are frowned upon, as their coverage often involves fabricated stories and/or unsubstantiated claims. Exaggerated headlines, which sometimes don’t make any sense, are their trademark. The privacy and reputation of the people involved are their last concerns.
What is in common between those “cyber tow trucks” and the actual tow trucks on the road? First, they are both very fast. Just as the tow trucks have to arrive at the scene as fast as they can, “cyber tow trucks” can make more money if they cover the story while the story is still hot. Second, cyber tow trucks prey on someone else’s messy situations just like tow trucks earn money from someone’s misfortune.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed how the word “렉카” gained a negative connotation on the street and took on a new meaning during the competitive new media era. I hope you learned something new about how Koreans consume new media by learning the meaning of “렉카” in Korean.
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