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Lesson 17

The Princess Syndrome

There is a strange kind of syndrome that some men and

women are afflicted with. It’s symptoms include hallucinations
and illusions of grandeur: hallucinations that someone is Princess

Cinderella or Prince Charming, and delusions that someone is

royalty with scores of slaves at ones disposal. Psychoanalytically,
this ailment isn’t repugnant, only pitiful, but culturally it’s frowned

upon and needing immediate shock therapy of reality. The Ko-
rean language have words to describe men and women having

these symptoms in it’s mild forms: congju pyang for females and wang japyong for males,
the equivalent of The Cinderella and The Prince Charming. Needless to say, these char-

acters aren’t deranged: in fact, they are humorously alluded to with such appellations, not

branded as mental cases, although some people with strong ideas about it would argue oth-
erwise. The congju pyang is normally characterized by her confidence verging on excessive

self-importance. Whether that confidence (looks, importance, social status) is justified or
not seems not to matter. Thus when any woman demands attention from others, especially

from males, or praises her qualities in such statements as “I’m so beautiful”, or “men cant
resist my charms”, then she is branded a congju pyang by others, whether humorously or

seriously. The same goes true for the narcissist male. If he feels or acts exaggeratedly self-
important, by virtue of his looks, whether justifiably or not, then he is a wang japyong.” I’m so

handsome women’s feet turn to jelly when I smile at them,” people frown at him and exclaim,
“Gosh, you are a wang japyong!”

Comprehension

1. What are the characteristics of a congju pyang?
2. What are the characteristics of a wang japyong?

Questions
1. Who are the people you know that have the prince or princess syndrome?
2. What do you think about people who have these kinds of syndrome?
What can you do about it?

Vocabulary & Expressions
syndrome: the pattern of symptoms that characterize or indicate a particular
social condition
symptoms: A characteristic sign or indication of the existence of something else
repugnant: distasteful, objectionable, or offensive
appellations: A name, title, or designation
narcissist: inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity
exaggeratedly: To represent as greater than is actually the case; overstate
illusions: something that deceives by producing a false or misleading impression
of reality

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