Introduction
Hello! This is [Daily Hangul], here to upgrade your Korean skills! 👋
Today, we are diving into a very hot topic in Korea: Fashion and Personal Style. But we aren’t just talking about “pretty clothes.” We are going to discuss the role of fashion influencers and look at them with a critical eye.
Lately in Korea, while items worn by popular idols or influencers sell out instantly (a phenomenon called the “Sold-out Crisis” or 품절 대란), there is also a growing voice saying, “Let’s not just copy everyone else!” People are starting to value their own unique vibe over sponsored content.
Are you ready to learn how to express your opinions on these trends like a sophisticated Korean speaker? Let’s get started! 👗🕶️
Key Expressions
Here are 4 key expressions to help you discuss fashion critically.
1. 유행을 맹목적으로 쫓다
- Pronunciation: [Yuhaeng-eul maengmokjeog-euro jjotda]
- English Meaning: To blindly follow trends
- Detail:
- ‘유행’ means trend, ‘맹목적으로’ means blindly (without thinking), and ‘쫓다’ means to chase or follow.
- This is a B2-level phrase used when criticizing people who buy things just because others are buying them, without considering if it suits them.
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
- Pay attention to ‘쫓다’. The final consonant ‘ㅊ(ch)’ in the stem sounds like a ‘t’ (ㄷ) when it is at the bottom. When this ‘t’ meets the ‘d’ in ‘다’, the ‘d’ hardens into a tense sound [tt/ㄸ].
- So, it sounds like [jjot-tta], not [jjoch-da]. This sounds much stronger and clearer!
2. -는 경향이 있다
- Pronunciation: [-neun gyeonghyang-i itda]
- English Meaning: There is a tendency to… / Tends to…
- Detail:
- This is a crucial grammar pattern for discussing social issues or general behaviors. It makes your argument sound more objective and logical than just saying “People do this.”
- Example: “People tend to believe influencers too easily.” (사람들은 인플루언서를 너무 쉽게 믿는 경향이 있어요.)
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
- In ‘경향’ (tendency), make sure to pronounce the ‘ng’ (ㅇ) sound clearly in both blocks.
- Also, when saying ‘있다’, the ‘ㅅ(s)’ bottom consonant sounds like ‘t’. Similar to the tip above, it makes the following ‘d’ sound tense. So, pronounce it as [it-tta].
3. 손민수하다
- Pronunciation: [Sonminsuhada]
- English Meaning: To copy someone’s style or items (to be a copycat)
- Detail:
- This is a very trendy slang verb! It comes from a character named “Son Min-su” in the famous webtoon/drama Cheese in the Trap, who copied the protagonist’s entire style.
- It can be used jokingly among friends (“I Sonminsu-ed your phone case!”) or critically (“She just Sonminsu-ed everything.”).
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
- Pronounce it naturally as [Son-min-su-ha-da].
- There are no tricky sound changes here, but keep the rhythm even.
4. 비판적인 시각
- Pronunciation: [Bipanjeogin sigak]
- English Meaning: Critical perspective / Critical view
- Detail:
- ‘비판’ means criticism/critique, and ‘시각’ means view/perspective.
- Use this when you want to say, “We need to look at this ad/trend critically, not just accept it.”
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
- Linking Rule (Liason): When ‘각’ is followed by a particle starting with a vowel (like ‘이’ or ‘을’), the ‘k/g’ sound moves over.
- Example: ‘시각을’ is pronounced [sigageul]. It flows much smoother than stopping at [sig-ak-eul].
Example Dialogue
Let’s see how two friends, Jimin and Sarah, talk about a recent Instagram trend.
Jimin: 사라 씨, 요즘 인스타그램에서 유행하는 그 가방 봤어요? 다들 그거 들고 다니더라고요.
(Sarah, did you see that bag trending on Instagram lately? Everyone is carrying it.)
Sarah: 네, 봤어요. 그런데 저는 사람들이 너무 유행을 맹목적으로 쫓는 것 같아요.
(Yes, I saw it. But I think people blindly follow trends too much.)
Jimin: 맞아요. 인플루언서가 착용하면 무조건 따라 사는, 일명 ‘손민수하는’ 사람들이 많죠.
(That’s right. There are many people who buy whatever influencers wear—so-called ‘Sonminsu-ing’ people.)
Sarah: 솔직히 그게 진짜 스타일인지 그냥 광고인지 모르겠어요. 우리도 비판적인 시각을 가질 필요가 있어요.
(Honestly, I don’t know if that’s real style or just an ad. We need to have a critical perspective.)
Culture Tip & Trend Deep Dive 🧐
“Are you a ‘Son Min-su’ (손민수)?”
As mentioned in the dialogue, the term ‘손민수하다’ (to Sonminsu) is huge in Korea right now.
Originally, in the drama Cheese in the Trap, the character Son Min-su was a villain who creepily copied the main character to steal her identity.
However, nowadays, the meaning has softened a bit!
* Positive usage: “Wow, your earrings are so pretty! I’m going to Sonminsu you!” (I’m going to buy the same ones because you have good taste.)
* Negative/Critical usage: “He has no style of his own, he just Sonminsu-s whatever is popular.”
Trend Alert: Recently, there is a backlash against excessive consumerism driven by influencers. The “Underconsumption Core” (소비 줄이기) trend involves showing off items you have used for a long time rather than buying new ones. Using the expression “비판적인 시각” (critical view) regarding fast fashion is very intellectual and impressive to Korean friends!
Wrap-up & Practice 📝
Today, we learned how to talk critically about fashion trends and influencers. You are now ready to express deep opinions in Korean!
Let’s practice! Fill in the blanks with the expressions we learned today.
- Don’t just buy it because it’s popular. Don’t _____________________!
(유행을 _______________지 마세요!) -
Teenagers have a ____________________ to copy idols.
(청소년들은 아이돌을 따라 하_____________________.)
Answers:
1. 맹목적으로 쫓 (maengmokjeog-euro jjot)
2. 는 경향이 있어요 (neun gyeonghyang-i isseoyo)
Have you ever “Sonminsu-ed” a Korean celebrity? Or do you prefer your own style?
Leave a comment below using today’s expressions! I’d love to hear your thoughts.
See you in the next lesson! Annyeong! 👋
