If you can watch Love Island UK without subtitles as an American, I consider you a genius. Whether it's Liberty gargling on her words or Brad using the pronoun "us" to refer to himself, it's a lot to take in! Most of it can be decipherable with context clues, but sometimes the slang words are hard to make out. Like for the first time ever, many of the cast members this season have encouraged others to "be reem" and it took me three rewinds and a Google search to understand what they actually meant.
It's supposedly a fairly common turn of phrase that just means, in the immortal words of Real Housewives star Luann de Lesseps, "be cool, don't be all, like, uncool." Well, sort of. You can also use it to express that something is attractive and good. So when Kaz throws up her hands and wishes that another girl would just "be reem" about things, she's asking for someone to not be petty and to be...cool and laid back and all that.
The term was apparently coined by UK reality star Joey Essex on his scripted reality show (don't ask) The Only Way Is Essex.
Joey Essex has also claimed to not have learned how to tell time or blow his nose, so if you're thinking of adopting this particular British slang word, consider its roots and who you are modeling yourself after.
There are many slang words or phrases that are particular to Love Island — having good chat, seeing someone who is a "bit of me," or getting the ick all have strong associations with the show. But it seems like reem isn't exclusive to the series and it's something you could hear on the street in most parts of the UK. Just coming from someone who likely wears white jeans and looks like Joey Essex.
Images: iTV