This is the 471st most frequent Korean word.
이른바
"So-called."
Here, '이른바' is used to convey skepticism about the title 'musical genius,' suggesting it might not fully apply.
그는 이른바 음악 천재로 불렸지만, 실제로는 평범했다.
He was called a so-called musical genius, but in reality, he was average.
In this sentence, '이른바' introduces the term 'health foods,' indicating that the author is critically framing this category of products.
이른바 건강식품이라 부르는 것들이 항상 건강에 유익하진 않다.
'Health foods,' as they are called, are not always beneficial to health.
The word '이른바' is used to indicate that the term 'friend' is being used in a specific or ironic sense, possibly implying a contrast or mismatch.