As revealed in the first episode of the series, the Pogues are actually named after a type of fish. "Pogues, pogies, the throwaway fish. Lowest member of the food chain," John B says in the beginning of Outer Banks. Because of this, pogies are usually used as bait to help catch bigger fish. Being Pogues, you are automatically singled out as less than, because of where you live," Jonathan Daviss, who plays Pope, told Seventeen exclusively.

If you’re a fan of Outer Banks, then you’re already aware of the two diverse groups that make up the characters. Netflix’s popular teen drama makes a point to depict the class differences between the Kooks and Pogues living in the idyllic North Carolina town. Depending on what group you grew up in, your life could differ greatly. Married to Ward, Rose is the stepmother to his children, Sarah, Rafe and Wheezie. At first she appears to be unaware of her husband’s villainous ways, but we soon learn she actually enjoys it — and is willing to help him do anything to keep their wealth. Rafe Cameron It's likely that Kooks are called this in the show because they aren't really seen as the ones who are fitting in with island life thanks to their money and privilege. Are these terms really used in real life? In the OBX, there are two kinds of people. Netflix's latest YA series, Outer Banks, shows us the different lives between the Kooks and the Pogues of the island. Depending on which one you are, your life can be totally different. By now, you probably know the fictional Outer Banks world — which is set in the barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina — is home to two classes: the Kooks and the Pogues. In Season 1, John B., the suntanned leader of the Pogues, describes the southern side of the island as "the natural habitat of the Pogues," where the working class lives in small homes and "makes [their] living bussing tables, washing yachts, running charters." They don't have much money, but the teens basically live a life of sun-drenched freedom (before getting tangled up in dangerous treasure hunts, of course).

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Another way you can become a Pogue is by marrying into it. Sarah was once a Kook, an enemy of the Pogues, but she fell in love with John B and realized her family’s status was obtained through nefarious ways. Now a Pogue, Sarah is down for all the adventures, even setting sail for foreign islands — twice. Cleo (Carlacia Grant) A Kook is a person who lives in Figure 8 or the north side of the OBX. They are typically well-off and have the most power on the island. They are surfing amateurs, pretending that they know what they’re doing in the water, when in reality, they have no idea. Kie, for example, lives on the Figure 8 (where the Kooks reside). But her spunky personality and no-shit attitude make her an enemy to her fellow rich neighbors. Also, Sarah, formerly known as the Princesses of Kooks, rejected her royalty title in season one after realizing just how vengeful and murderous her family was.

Sarah’s father, Ward, wasn’t always a Kook. He was actually born and raised in the Cut, but he fought his way to the top as a real estate developer — sometimes crawling over others to get there. Now as a Kook, Ward has no problem using his money to get what he wants at any cost. Rose Cameron (Caroline Arapoglou) The south side, also called the Cut, is where lower income people live; it’s where John B (Chase Stokes), JJ (Rudy Pankow) and Pope (Jonathan Daviss) live. This is where you’ll find people called Pogues. The series, which is set in the Outer Banks area of North Carolina, might not seem relatable to non-beach dwellers at first. If your afternoons aren’t spent repeatedly escaping from your girlfriend’s murderous dad, hunting down historic treasure, or almost dying at least once per season, the sun-kissed life of the OBX teens might seem far-fetched... because it high-key is. Thankfully, most viewers aren’t faced with the type of drama John B., Pope, JJ, Kiara, and Sarah deal with on a daily basis. According to GQ, a Kook is "an individual with no understanding of the social and sartorial norms of surfing." In terms of the show, this makes sense: The Pogues' rivals are the types of people who pose with expensive boards but never get their hair wet. The word Kook has two different meanings. The first one usually means crazy and is the most common definition used for the word. However, in surfing, it stands for a person who tries to fit into the culture without even trying. According to Urban Dictionary,

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At the beginning of episode one, John B., the show's main character, opens up about life on the crazy island and how it's split up. "The Outer Banks, paradise on Earth. It's the sort of place where you either have two jobs or two houses. Two tribes, one island," he says. This is Figure Eight, the rich side of the island. Home of the Kooks," he says as they pass by golf courses, large ranch houses, and marinas full of expensive yachts. He describes Kooks as "rich trustafarian posers" who he sees as his natural enemies. (He’s not wrong; all the antagonists in the show are rich). MacBook Pro 13.3" Retina, MacBook Air 13" Retina, MacBook Air 13.3"(2020, M1): 2560x1600 Dual monitor: The pogies hold the marine ecosystem together by feeding the fish humans consume regularly. This is a nod to the essential work the Pogues of Outer Banks do to keep the town going, despite not receiving much respect.

Whether it's your first or your fifth time watching Netflix's Outer Banks, there's plenty to absorb while tagging along with John B. and his friends on their epic treasure hunts. But it's not just the drama, romance, and adventure that makes the show so great. It's the life lessons Outer Banks reinforces that turn everyday viewers into Pogues for life. In short—if you’re a Pogue, you live on the south side of the island, also known as The Cut. The Pogues are the working class people, waitering, cleaning boats, running charters for the rich. Essentially, they are the slums of the island—some inherently look down upon its residents based on their living there. Though it's a bit more complicated than that—you don't have to be lower-class to be a Pogue. Although Netflix hasn't renewed Outer Banks for a second season yet, creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke have more adventures up their sleeves for the beloved Pogues. And Holmes says she has been thinking about costumes for season two since the day they wrapped filming. As such, John B and his friends proudly wear Pogue as a badge of honor, and see themselves as more scrappy and resilient then their Kook counterparts. What Are Kooks? They are also assholes, though that's not a official category. Since they're the "elite," the Kooks treat the Pogues pretty badly. Not only do they repeatedly get away with murder, stealing, and other heinous crimes, but they're only goal is make the lower-class people life a living hell.

Are Pogues and Kooks Used IRL?

If you're a Pogue, that means you're from The Cut, the south side of the OBX. "Home of the working class, who make a living busing tables, washing yachts, running charters. The natural habitat of the Pogues," John B says in the show's pilot. iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad Air, iPad Air 2, 2017 iPad, iPad Mini 2, iPad Mini 3, iPad Mini 4, 9.7" iPad Pro: 2048x1536, 1536x2048 Be careful how you use it IRL, tho! Apparently, "pogue" is also derogatory military slang for noncombatant troops that almost certainly has roots in homophobia. Yiiiiikes! The "kooks" are the upper crust

Rudy Pankow, who plays JJ, agreed saying that Pogues are able to look at things differently thanks to the way they live life. While Outer Banks had a lot of life lessons to discover, the most important is that friendship is key. Few onscreen bonds have been stronger than those of the Pogues, and while the treasure and the romances are great, it's the true friendship aspect that really strikes a chord. Whether it's Kiara comforting JJ in a hot tub he can't afford or the entire group rallying around Pope in an effort to secure what’s rightfully his, the biggest takeaway of Outer Banks is that the true treasure is the people who are there for you, no matter what.In the beginning of the series, John B., the show’s protagonist, discusses what life is like in the Outer Banks and exactly how classes are divided. “It’s the sort of place where you either have two jobs or two houses,” he says. “Two tribes. One island.”The Kooks are the elite with parents having money. The Pogues are desperate to move up the social ladder to become new versions of themselves and establish new beginnings. It's like Gossip Girl but island style. On this show, it's also about who lives on the Outer Banks and who visits the island. You don't need to be from coastal North Carolina to understand this concept. People who live in beach towns or any kind of vacation spot all over the world know this struggle. Rich vacationers try to act like they own the place, but they're ultimately just tourists. The "pogues" are the working class It may all be fictionalized, but these identities are key to understanding the show’s commentary about class divides. Many of the Kooks, like Topper and Rafe, openly express disgust towards the Pogues and often dismiss them as less intelligent and less dignified. Even Ward Cameron, a former Pogue turned influential Kook, shrugs and tells his daughter that John B is “a Pogue, what did you expect?” when he lies about John B abandoning her for gold. And in Ward’s speech after his fake-out death, he says that he’d do anything to avoid being poor again.