What Does 존맛탱 (Jonmattaeng / JMT) Mean?
Written and reviewed by Jun and Jin, native Korean speakers
Published · Updated · How we write & review
After this page, you can rave about food with 존맛탱 (jonmattaeng) or JMT — and know how strong the word is before you say it.
10-second answer
What does JMT mean?
존맛탱 (jonmattaeng), often abbreviated JMT (the initials of jon-mat-taeng, like TMI), is internet slang meaning "insanely delicious." It's built from 존 (jon, an intensifier, from a rougher slang root) + 맛 (mat, taste) + 탱 (taeng, a playful ending), and it's strictly casual — food review captions and texts to friends, never formal speech.
Quick check — did that land?
1. What does JMT stand for?
존맛탱! That means insanely delicious. You’ll see it everywhere in Korean food reviews—but it’s very ca
Quick Examples
이거 완전 존맛탱!
igeo wanjeon jonmattaeng!
This is insanely delicious!
JMT ㅠㅠ 또 먹고싶다
JMT tteo meokgo sipda
So good ㅠㅠ I want to eat it again
The English-letter abbreviation JMT is extremely common in captions and comments.
See also: 대박 (daebak) — awesome / no way
How JMT Works: Initials, Like TMI
JMT is 존맛탱 shortened to the first letter of each syllable in romanization: J(on) + M(at) + T(aeng). It's the same trick as TMI, just built from Korean syllables instead of English words. Koreans use both forms all the time — 존맛탱 when they type in Hangul, JMT when it's faster in English letters — and the shorter 존맛 is just as common.
오늘 점심은 존맛탱!
oneul jeomsimeun jonmattaeng!
Lunch today was insanely good!
이 떡볶이 존맛이야.
i tteokbokki jonmasiya.
This tteokbokki is so good.
존맛 + 이야 — the short form works like any noun at the end of a casual sentence.
여기 떡볶이 진짜 존맛탱이니까 꼭 먹어 봐.
yeogi tteokbokki jinjja jonmattaenginikka kkok meogeo bwa.
The tteokbokki here is seriously amazing — you have to try it.
이 집 삼겹살 JMT 인정? 인스타 맛집 맞네.
i jip samgyeopsal JMT injeong? inseuta matjip matne.
This place's pork belly is JMT, right? It really is an Instagram-famous spot.
인정? ("agreed?") and 맛집 (a restaurant known for great food) often show up right next to JMT.
엄마가 해 준 김치찌개는 언제 먹어도 존맛탱이다.
eommaga hae jun gimchijjigaeneun eonje meogeodo jonmattaengida.
Mom's kimchi stew is insanely good every single time.
한강에서 끓여 먹는 라면은 무조건 존맛탱이지.
hangangeseo kkeuryeo meongneun ramyeoneun mujogeon jonmattaengiji.
Ramyeon cooked by the Han River is always insanely good.
Making instant ramyeon at a Han River convenience store is a classic Seoul outing.
JMT in the house!
JMT in the house!
This place is seriously delicious!
A playful mix with the English "___ in the house" (like "DJ in the house!") — posted when you've found a great spot.
Where It Sits on the Intensity Scale
| Phrase | Intensity | Register |
|---|---|---|
| 맛있어요 | Delicious (neutral, polite) | Safe anywhere |
| 진짜 맛있어 | Really delicious | Casual |
| 존맛탱 / JMT | Insanely, ridiculously delicious | Very casual internet slang |
존- as a prefix intensifier shows up in other slang too, and traces back to a coarser root word — 존맛탱 itself has softened into mainstream, non-vulgar usage over time, but it's still firmly informal, not something to say to a boss or write in a formal review.
The 존- Family and Other Food Intensifiers
Once you know 존맛탱 you'll spot the same prefix everywhere: 존맛 (the same word without the playful 탱), 존잘 (insanely good-looking, of a man), 존예 (insanely pretty), 존버 (holding out stubbornly — from 버티다). All are casual-only for the same reason. Two other intensifiers you'll hear around food: 개맛있어 (개- is another rough prefix, roughly "crazy delicious") and the softer, safe-anywhere 진짜 맛있어 — see 진짜. When in doubt in front of older people, drop the slang and use 너무 맛있어요.
이 집 떡볶이 존맛. 무조건 가.
i jip tteokbokki jonmat. mujogeon ga.
This place's tteokbokki is insanely good. You have to go.
Bare 존맛 works as a one-word verdict in reviews and captions.
할머니 앞에서는 존맛탱 말고 너무 맛있어요라고 해.
halmeoni apeseoneun jonmattaeng malgo neomu masisseoyorago hae.
In front of Grandma, say 너무 맛있어요, not 존맛탱.
Native speakers actively code-switch out of 존- slang around elders.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Using it in formal writing or speech
It's internet/casual slang through and through — 진짜 맛있어요 is the safe formal-adjacent alternative.
Mistake #2 — Assuming JMT and 존맛탱 are different things
JMT is simply the romanized-initial shorthand for 존맛탱 — same word, faster to type.
Mini Quiz
2. Where is 존맛탱 appropriate?
3. What does 존맛탱 roughly mean?
Related Knowledge
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