Korean Slang 177. 썸남

썸남 (sseomnam)

Korean slang 썸남 (sseomnam): The guy you have a thing with.
Original AI-created illustration for Korean Slang 177.

What 썸남 means

The guy you have a thing with.

When Koreans use it

Refer to a man you have a potentially romantic connection with, before becoming a couple.

A short conversation

Korean

A: 누구한테 문자 왔어?

B: 썸남한테.

English

A: Who texted you?

B: The guy I've got a thing with.

Use it with care

A casual relationship label. It does not establish how he feels.

From Korean Your Teacher Doesn’t Teach You by Injin Hwang. The meaning, usage, dialogue, and notes above follow the author’s book.

Previous lesson: Korean Slang 176 · Next lesson: Korean Slang 178

Explore more Korean lessons · See the author’s book

Read more