· Slangdunk Editors
What does 손민수 (son min-su) mean? How a webtoon copycat became a Korean verb
손민수 (son min-su) is Korean slang for copying someone's clothes, hair or stuff item for item. It's the name of a character in the webtoon Cheese in the Trap who secretly copied the heroine — and it now lives on as 손민수하다 (to copy) and 손민수템 (a copied item).
At a glance
- Meaning
- Copying someone's style or belongings exactly. Used as a verb, 손민수하다 (“I 손민수'd IU's hair”), and a copied item is a 손민수템.
- Origin
- A character in Cheese in the Trap, a Naver webtoon by the artist Soonkki that began in July 2010. Son Min-su secretly copies the heroine Hong Seol, from her hairstyle to her clothes (Careet).
- Spread
- The 2016 tvN drama adaptation made the name even better known. By 2020, Careet and Marie Claire Korea were listing it as teen and twentysomething slang.
- Careful
- In the original, Son Min-su is an irritating character. It's light when you're joking with friends or copying a celebrity, but snide if you're calling someone a copycat.
Emily, an American exchange student, dropped a sentence into the group chat: “My classmate says she 손민수'd my bag. Who's 손민수?” The characters are fictional, but every fact in the conversation is sourced.
What does 손민수 (son min-su) mean? A Korean friend explains
- Emily (22, exchange student)손민수 sounds like a person's name. Does it mean that person took my bag?
- Ha-eun (23)Lol no. It means someone bought the exact same bag as you. 손민수하다 works like a verb meaning “to copy.”
- Emily (22, exchange student)Why 손민수, of all names?
- Ha-eun (23)It's a webtoon character. Cheese in the Trap, a Naver webtoon by the artist Soonkki, started in July 2010, and in it 손민수 secretly copies the heroine Hong Seol — her hairstyle, her clothes, everything.
- Emily (22, exchange student)Oh, so like a copycat.
- Ha-eun (23)Exactly. The webtoon was so popular it became a tvN drama in 2016, with the actress Yoon Ji-won playing 손민수. Somewhere along the way the name turned into a verb.
- Emily (22, exchange student)So who first said 손민수하다?
- Ha-eun (23)Nobody knows. It definitely comes from the character, but who first used it as a verb, or when, hasn't been confirmed. By around 2020 it was common enough for outlets like Careet and Marie Claire Korea to explain it.
- Emily (22, exchange student)Is it a compliment or an insult? Is the character nice?
- Ha-eun (23)In the original she's pretty annoying. So if a friend says “you 손민수'd my stuff, didn't you?” they're half teasing. With celebrities it's closer to a compliment. Careet's example was “IU's new hair was so pretty I wanted to 손민수 it.”
- Emily (22, exchange student)So the bag my classmate bought is a 손민수템?
- Ha-eun (23)Perfect. A copied item is a 손민수템. Your bag was someone's 추구미 — their style goal. Congrats.
손민수
Copying someone's clothes, hair, belongings or style item for item. From Son Min-su, the copycat character in the webtoon Cheese in the Trap. Used as 손민수하다 (to copy) and 손민수템 (a copied item).
In Korean: 남의 옷, 머리, 물건, 말투 등을 그대로 따라 하는 것. 웹툰 '치즈인더트랩' 속 인물 손민수의 이름에서 나왔다.
- 공항 패션 보고 바로 그 니트 손민수함Saw the airport outfit and 손민수'd that sweater immediately.Right after saving a favorite celebrity's photo
- 이거 지난주 브이로그에 나온 거 맞지? 손민수템 인정That's the one from last week's vlog, right? Certified 손민수템.Spotting a friend's new tumbler
- 너 내 헤어스타일 손민수했지? 괜찮아, 잘 어울려You 손민수'd my hairstyle, didn't you? It's fine, it suits you.Half teasing, half complimenting
- 꾸안꾸 코디 손민수하려다가 그냥 안꾸가 됐다Tried to 손민수 an effortless-chic outfit and ended up just… effortless.A morning when copying was harder than it looked
Why is 손민수 still around after a decade?
“To copy” is flat and “to imitate” is stiff. One name, 손민수, carries “secretly, exactly, and a little annoyingly” all at once. As buying a celebrity's airport outfit or a YouTuber's recommended product became routine, there was more to say it about. Marie Claire Korea's 2020 headline, “Drama makeup looks you'll want to 손민수 right now,” shows where it has gone: less the irritating copycat, more “I want that too.” The shopping cart of a 트민남 (trend-chasing guy) is usually full of 손민수템.
손민수 (son min-su): frequently asked questions
Q. What does 손민수 mean?
Copying someone's clothes, hair or belongings exactly. It comes from Son Min-su, a character who secretly copies the heroine Hong Seol in the webtoon Cheese in the Trap.
Q. What does 손민수하다 mean?
“To copy.” 그 가방 손민수했어 means “I bought a copy of that bag.” A copied item is called a 손민수템.
Q. Is 손민수 about a real person?
No. It's the name of a fictional character from Soonkki's webtoon Cheese in the Trap (begun in 2010) and its 2016 tvN drama. It has nothing to do with real people who share the name.
Q. What's 손민수 in English?
“Copycat” is the closest. As a verb, “copy someone's look”; a copied item is roughly “a dupe of what someone has.”
Q. Is the 손민수 meme offensive?
It depends. Copying a celebrity's or friend's style, it's a light joke or even a compliment. But since the original character is irritating, using it to brand someone a copycat comes across as snide.
So: 손민수 is the most useful thing a webtoon copycat ever left behind. That evening, Emily reportedly messaged the classmate who bought her bag: “Your 손민수템 looks great.” If you have a sharper definition, add it to the 손민수 entry in the dictionary.
Sources
See ‘손민수’ in the dictionary — more definitions, examples, and your own take.
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