I hadn’t seen my friend Saori in a long time. We finally met for coffee last week for the first time in months. Saori had been very busy. She joked that she was in her “Moteki” and that’s why she never had any time for me or any of her girlfriends. I had no idea what she meant, so I made her explain and she taught me a new expression.Some of you might know what "Moteki" means, but a lot of you probably won’t know about it since I tried looking it up on the internet and couldn’t find anything in English. In Japan, there’s a popular belief that all people go through three times in their lives where they are extremely popular and attractive to others. Those three time periods are called the “Moteki” and it comes from the Japanese expression, もてる, which just means “popular with the opposite sex” or “people are physically attracted to you”. Anyway, Saori jokingly said she’s in her Moteki right now.
Most Japanese people don’t seriously believe in “Moteki” but it’s often mentioned in manga and in TV dramas or Japanese movies. Saori is newly single and goes out every weekend. She goes to parties and is always the most popular girl there. She wasn’t like that a few months ago when she had a boyfriend. In the past few months, she has lost weight and has started to wear nicer clothing. She puts fake eyelashes on now, and she never used to. She looks like she’s enjoying her life a lot.
I don’t necessarily believe in the only 3 times part of “Moteki” but I do believe that people tend to be very popular with a lot of people all of a sudden. For instance, Saori is popular right now and that probably causes her to act more confident and relaxed, which makes her even more attractive to even more people. I think it makes sense.
Have you heard of this Japanese “Moteki”?
Do you believe in “Moteki”? (AKA Do you believe that there are three times in a person’s life where they are significantly more popular than they normally are?)
If you don’t believe in it, why don’t you?
If you do believe in it, do you think you’ve already had one or two of your “Moteki” times?
12 comments:
She doesn't update very much, which is a shame, but Tokyo Cherie recently wrote about moteki also. http://tokyocherie.wordpress.com/
Two.
I`ve never heard this phrase, but I do believe in it, sort of. I`m sort of like your friend. I wasn't very popular while I was dating my exboyfriend, but now that we've broken up, guys are hitting on me more than ever!
I think a lot has to do with the fact that we feel free without a man, so we are more at ease with ourselves.
Hmm... I had one of these periods from 16-18. I hope I get two more!
Hmmm, i donn if I necessarily beleive in metoki being a certain phase that makes your more attractive. In fact I think that based on where you are in life, whats goin on etc. your life becomes better b/c of these things. Like how shes newly single and is dressing better etc. It seems like metoki but due to her new lifestyle, its really her making herself more attractive.
I love that you quoted Zoolander for this. Seriously.
I think the idea of a moteki is maybe a little unrealistic (just three times? Really?), but I agree with you: there are definitely just times in your life when you attract people like crazy, for whatever reason.
I totally had a moteki time!! Haha. Right before I left Vancouver (already planning to get married, not single), people were buying me drinks for the first time ever, or old acquaintances were suddenly telling their friends I was cute, stuff like that... but I'm sure it was because I was emitting a really happy and relaxed vibe since the pressure was off for me to worry about dating.
wow, that is really interesting! thanks for sharing :)
i do actually feel as if i am in my moteki right now ;D
umm first of all, Loving the Zoolander reference. Great Picture and title. I was laughing before I even read anything.
Huh, That's pretty interesting. I didn't know there was a word for something like that. This is going to sound terribly arrogant and rude, but i'm pretty sure i've had more than 3 moteki's in my life.
I don't think I believe in Moteki. I don't think it has to do with people, but self confidence. It's an attractive trait and definitely helps when in a social scene. Or maybe just being apart of a certain scene or outgoing group.
I don't really believe it only happens 3 times in your life, but I have seen this effect of suddenly being more popular among other people. And I do agree with your opinion that popularity tends to feed itself. People become more popular, and then more confident, and then even more popular.
I agree with your self-fulfilling Moteki theory.. That once you start to become more confident, you do become more popular which feeds your confidence which feeds your popularity, ha ha. But then I guess when social circles get too complicated, it's easy to run into drama or problems that put you off, and then your cloud of popularity seems to disappear? Ha ha, if any of that makes sense!
Ha ha, now I'm determined to believe in my next moteki!
i had my first moteki last year.
i'm in high school, so i think i'm not burned out yet haha
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