Korean slang profile

문상

munsang

A cultural gift certificate

Short for 문화상품권. This usage is separate from 문상 meaning a condolence visit.

This is the earliest source we have verified, not the date the term was coined.

01Examples, with English translations

Example by Julimmal
생일 선물로 문상을 받았어.
I got a cultural gift certificate for my birthday.
Quoted from a source
‘후후’는 ‘프렌치 후라이’, ‘전쪽’은 ‘전체쪽지’, ‘개쪽’은 ‘개별쪽지’, ‘문상’은 ‘문화상품권’이다.[2]
후후 means French fries, 전쪽 means a message to everyone, 개쪽 an individual message, and 문상 a cultural gift certificate.
English translation by Julimmal.

August 2006Kyunghyang Shinmun: ““Wow! ‘문상’ (cultural gift certificate) was caught?”[1]
July 2010후후 means French fries, 전쪽 means a message to everyone, 개쪽 an individual message, and 문상 a cultural gift certificate.[2]

Short for “문화상품권.” The 2010 source from Dong-A Ilbo explicitly gives this explanation. Who first used it and when have not been verified.

Evidence for the origin explanationHigh

The explanation is explicit in the sources, and at least two sources use the same meaning. When it was first used is unknown.

Original titles and links are preserved. An English translation does not replace the original source.