그돈씨

Meme Name: Geudonssi

Original

Pronunciation Goo-don-see

Period of Popularity 'Geudonssi' first began to be used around 2014-2015 in car enthusiast communities. It then spread to various online communities, establishing itself as a meme, and is still actively used in diverse product purchasing scenarios as of 2023.

Meaning 'Geudonssi' is an abbreviation of "그 돈이면 씨X ○○○ 산다" (Geu don-imyeon ssi-bal ○○○ sanda), which roughly translates to "For that money, I'd f*ing buy ○○○ instead." It refers to the act of recommending a higher-tier product or a better alternative to someone considering buying a specific item, suggesting they either add a little more money or choose something similar in price. While primarily used to mean "add a little more and buy a higher-tier item," it is sometimes used to dissuade someone from buying a product with poor value for money, implying "for that money, I'd rather not buy anything at all." This meme is closely related to the economic concept of opportunity cost. Although it originated in car communities, it has now expanded to various fields such as housing, electronics, PCs, alcoholic beverages, and watches.

Target Audience This meme is primarily used by people who give advice to those considering purchasing specific products, or by those interested in product comparisons and value for money. It is actively used among users of online communities that share information about products with diverse price ranges and clear grade differences, such as cars, electronics, computer components, alcoholic beverages, and watches. It is not limited to a specific age group or gender and can be found among both men and women interested in product purchases.

Usage Examples

• Cars: When a young professional considers buying a Morning (a compact car), recommending a higher class vehicle like, "What, a compact car? Go for at least a semi-mid-size!"
• Smartphones: When someone is considering buying an iPhone 16e, suggesting alternatives like, "The price difference with the flagship Galaxy S25 is almost negligible... buying an iPhone 15 could also be a good choice."
• Computer Components: When buying a graphics card, recommending a higher model, for example, "When the 4070 came out, people debated whether to spend more for the 4070Ti, and when the 4060Ti came out, they debated whether to spend more for the 4070."
• Alcoholic Beverages: Criticizing a drink with low satisfaction for its price and recommending another, such as "Instead of buying drink A, drink B is much tastier for the same money." This is often used for alcoholic beverages whose prices have increased due to scarcity or premium, like Japanese whisky.