섹도시발 - 리얼로망스 연애편지

This meme originated from the SBS variety show 'Real Romance Love Letter,' which aired from October 16, 2004, to October 28, 2006. A caption that appeared on the show at the time began to spread online as 'jjalbangs' (image macros), gaining popularity. Since then, it has been consistently referenced and parodied in various variety shows such as 'We Got Married,' 'Running Man,' and 'Hyori's Homestay.' In 2020, 'MMTG' even covered the behind-the-scenes story of how the caption was created. In 2022, Oh My Girl's Seunghee directly mentioned this meme on 'Knowing Bros,' further extending its longevity.

The 'Sekdosibal' meme originated from an optical illusion that occurs when the vertically written Korean phrase '섹시도발' (sexy and provocative) is read horizontally. The key point is that while the characters '섹' (sek), '도' (do), '시' (si), and '발' (bal) are arranged in different positions to mean 'sexy and provocative,' reading them horizontally makes them sound similar to '씨발' (ssibal), a strong Korean expletive. The person featured in the jjalbang is actress Choi Ji-yeon.

• 섹도시발 (Sek-do-si-bal): Sounds like "seck-doh-shee-bahl."

* '섹' (sek) is pronounced like "seck" in "neck." * '도' (do) is pronounced like "doh" in "dough." * '시' (si) is pronounced like "shee" in "sheep." * '발' (bal) is pronounced like "bahl" in "ball."

• 리얼로망스 연애편지 (Real Romance Love Letter): Sounds like "ree-uhl roh-mahng-seu yuhn-ay-pyuhn-jee."

* '리얼로망스' (ri-eol-ro-mang-seu) is pronounced similar to "real romance," with a slight 'eu' sound at the end of 'romance'. * '연애편지' (yeon-ae-pyeon-ji) is pronounced like "yuhn-ay-pyuhn-jee."

This meme originated from a popular variety show in the mid-2000s and became widely known through parodies across various broadcast media. Therefore, it is not limited to a specific age group or gender, but rather is widely recognized and used by all generations who consume internet culture and mass media.

• It has been parodied as captions or in skits on various variety shows, including "We Got Married," "Running Man," and "Hyori's Homestay."
• In 2022, Oh My Girl's Seunghee, appearing on 'Knowing Bros,' directly pronounced the meme, drawing laughter.

• On internet communities or social media, it is used with the associated 'jjalbang' (image macro) when one wants to humorously emphasize that a particular person or situation is very 'sexy and provocative.'

While 'Sekdosibal' originally means 'sexy and provocative,' it has the characteristic of sounding similar to 'ssibal,' a strong expletive, when read horizontally. Therefore, it is advisable to refrain from using it in formal settings or situations requiring politeness. Caution is needed when using it, considering the situation and the audience, as others might not understand the meme's context or could mistake it for an expletive.