Hyungman Heo, Who Lost His 'Trademark'... What Happened After Asking for 'Help'

Heo Young-man Says, "Please Recommend a Similar Hat"
Netizens Join the Search for His "Trademark" Hat

Online, netizens' "Heo Young-man Hat Search Operation" is unfolding, becoming a hot topic. This happened after the popular cartoonist Heo Young-man (78) asked for help, saying he lost the hat considered his trademark.

A post uploaded by artist Heo Young-man saying he lost his hat. Screenshot of the Heo Young-man thread.

On the 13th, Heo posted on his social networking service (SNS), "I lost this hat. Please help me find a similar hat and introduce it to me. I would appreciate it," along with a photo of himself wearing the hat. In the photo, Heo is seen wearing a brownish hunting cap. This hat has been frequently worn by Heo since the past, and he often wore it during TV appearances, making it regarded as his trademark among fans.

In response, netizens began liking and commenting on Heo’s post, starting to search for his trademark hat. One thread user commented, "You must be upset losing a cherished hat," adding, "I searched and found some similar ones, though not exactly the same. Please take a look if you find any you like."

Other comments followed, such as "I found similar hats through image search," "Searching 'Heo Young-man hunting cap' brings up many styles similar to the teacher’s hat, but none exactly the same," and "There was a place near Cheonggyecheon’s used bookstore street that only sells similar hats." Some comments also shared links to places selling or making products with designs similar to the original hat.

Additionally, there were comforting responses like "It’s the teacher’s trademark," "I empathize with how disappointing it is to lose a beloved hat," and "Though it’s a pity to lose the hat, maybe this is a good chance to try hats with different designs."

Regarding this, Heo told Yonhap News on the 15th, "I lost the hat in Japan." He added, "If a hunting cap is worn incorrectly, it can look like a real estate agent uncle, so it’s hard to like it. I have looked for similar hats in many places but failed," expressing regret, "Now I’m using a different hat but I’m not satisfied."