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Introduction To The Korean "Engineering Man" & Their Fashion

Why are guys in engineering becoming more and more popular among Korean women?

정영여영이
3 years ago

korean drama start up

The 공대남, or engineering man, is currently trending in Korea! When thinking of Korean men, most thing of handsome idols on stage, but the image gaining popularity right now is actually that of the engineering student.  


What Is 공대남?

Hello, My Twenties! 2 korean dramaSource: Hello, My Twenties! 2

공대남 refers to a man studying engineering, science, and other fields in the engineering department at Korea's universities. 

In the past, there were much more men than women in the engineering department, so it was very difficult for them to find girlfriends. The image of the engineering student is usually a studious, straightforward man who will believe yes means yes without any deep interpretation.

korean engineering studentsSource: 인벤

There are many articles in Korea that explain their image. They are intelligent men who are accustomed to doing everything with reason and logic, and when their routine changes, they often feel confused. They work hard and might not be the best in social situations.


Engineering Man Trend

Start Up korean drama nam joohyukSource: Start Up

In recent years, Korean women seem to want to date men who fit the "engineering guy" image. Previously, most Koreans thought of law students when thinking of smart ben, but as technology is constantly improving, the engineering guy has become popular as well. 

Architecture 101 korean drama lee jehoonSource: Architecture 101

Recently, a woman posted on the site Korean Net site to ask about her blind date. She said her friend set her up with two men, the first man being 180 centimeters tall, good-looking from every angle, having a nice body, and working at a famous spine hospital, which was very impressive.  

The second man was about 175 centimeters tall and looks ordinary, but he graduated from a prestigious engineering university, was working at a large company, and was quite a naive person.

After several exchanges in the comments, the woman who posted said she liked the appearance of the 180 cm tall man but the character of the engineering man more.

korean married c ouple

As time passes, thoughts on marriage seem to be changing little by little. More and more women are choosing stable, ordinary men rather than handsome men with more unstable careers. Women are valuing economic stability in addition to romance.

What's Wrong with Secretary Kim wedding korean dramaSource: What's Wrong with Secretary Kim

In July 2021, a Korean search engine conducted a survey of 318 unmarried men and women, of which 36.2% said they wanted their spouse to pursue a specialized career (전문직), and more than 51.5% said this "due to economic conditions."

It can be seen that financial ability is very important to Koreans when choosing a spouse, and graduating from a prestigious engineering department is likely a ticket to a major company.


Korean Dramas With An Engineer Lead

Because This Is My First Life

Because This Is My First Life korean drama

Because This Is My First Life korean dramaSource: Because This Is My First Life

When it comes to the representative of the engineering men in Korean dramas, you have to include Nam Se-hee (Lee Min-ki) in Because This Is My First Life.

Nam Se-hee is a man who always follows rules in his daily life, and he looks gloomy and is blunt. He dresses simply and casually in comfortable clothes, but he suddenly became a warm man after opening the doors to his heart.

Start Up

Start Up nam joohyuk korean drama

Start Up nam joo hyuk korean dramaSource: Start Up

The image of engineers in Start Up seems pretty close to reality. The atmosphere surrounding these engineers and their amazing ideas made this drama very popular.

The fashion of the engineers is also similar to real life. Most of them wore flannel shirts and repeated shirts in basic colors. They usually paired their shirts with comfortable jeans. 

Dear. M

Dear. M jaehyun korean drama

Dear. M jaehyun korean dramaSource: Dear. M

Although the drama Dear. M has been postponed indefinitely, the image of Jaehyun NCT, who plays the role of an engineering student, has become a hot topic.

Even though he only wore a plain sweater paired with jeans and a big bag for his computer, his handsome image couldn't be hidden. Koreans were all asking online, "How can there be such a handsome engineering student?!" 

A Piece of Your Mind

A Piece of Your Mind jung haein

A Piece of Your Mind jung haeinSource: A Piece of Your Mind

The ratings for A Piece of Your Mind aren't the best, but  it can be said that Jung Hae-in's role clearly represents the image of an engineer.

He studied artificial intelligence and has a friendly appearance, with a somewhat straightforward and logical personality. He dresses in casual shirts and knit sweaters, showing the simplicity of an engineering man. 


What do you think of the engineering man (공대남) that's trending in Korea? They may look ordinary on the outside, but you'll definitely fall in love once you get to know them!

What type of guy do you like?