내가 고자라니

Meme Name: 내가 고자라니 (Naega Gojarani) Pronunciation: Nay-gah Go-jah-rah-nee

The 'Naega Gojarani' meme began to gain traction in some corners of the internet around 2006 when short clips of Shimyeong's scene from the SBS drama 'Yainsidae' were uploaded to video-sharing sites like PandoraTV and MNCast. Its full-fledged popularity began in 2008 at DC Inside's Synthesized Essential Elements Gallery (Hapilgal), when the 'Naega Gojarani' video became widely known as users sought new material after the 'Ppappinom' craze. The increasing number of video and audio editing software users at the time also significantly contributed to its spread, leading to a boom starting with the work 'Daegoja' in 2008. This meme is considered one of the longest-running and most enduring memes in Korean internet culture.

This meme originates from the SBS drama 'Yainsidae,' where the communist character Shimyeong is attacked by Kim Du-han's group, shot, and later, while recovering in the hospital, learns from a doctor that he has become impotent. His desperate cry is "내가 고자라니!" ("I'm impotent!"). Originally a tragic outburst about the loss of sexual function, its meaning expanded as it spread as an internet meme. Today, it is used to exaggeratedly express frustration or absurdity when a specific ability, qualification, or something that should be present is missing or severely lacking.

As a meme that has made a significant mark on the history of Korean internet culture, 'Naega Gojarani' is used by a very wide range of consumers. Starting from early internet users, it is famous enough to appear in textbook doodles among students, and is familiar to both men and women of various age groups. It has received widespread public support, being parodied in broadcasts, webtoons, games, and even public service announcements, and has been talked about for a long time.

• In the MBC variety show 'Hot Brothers,' voice actor Kim Ki-hyun parodied it by saying, "I'm a woman! A woman! I'm a mother!"
• In the tvN drama 'Blue Tower,' actor Kim Young-in, who played Shimyeong, made a direct appearance and shouted, "I'm impotent again!"
• In the KBS variety show '1 Night 2 Days,' the meme appeared when a cast member dressed as a servant, or when the word 'goja' was mentioned in a word association game, with the original scene shown as archive footage.
• Several webtoon artists, including Jo Seok of 'The Sound of Your Heart' and Lee Mal-nyeon of 'Lee Mal-nyeon's Journey to the West,' have parodied this meme in their works.
• In the animation 'Catch! Teenieping,' it was adapted into variations like "I'm pink!" and "I'm, I'm... sleeping!" (playing on the sound of 'goja').
• During a 2018 Russia World Cup match, when footballer Lee Yong was hit in the groin, commentators mentioned his pain, and Video Mug even inserted the 'Yainsidae' OST.
• Actor Kim Young-in himself appeared in public service announcements for the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KCDC) and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) to promote the prevention of overseas infectious diseases and food poisoning.
• The National Science Museum Gwacheon parodied Pluto's demotion from a planet as "I'm a dwarf planet~."

• The Ppalkan Naebok Yako YouTube channel uploaded a video where Yako gets hit in the groin, followed by Shimyeong's screaming face.

While the 'Naega Gojarani' meme has been loved for a long time, there are a few precautions to consider when using it. First, actor Kim Young-in, who played Shimyeong, appeared on DC Inside's official YouTube channel to permit the use of the meme, but he specifically requested avoiding political issues or controversial topics such as 'Bungtakmul' (a type of explicit or shocking content). Second, the word 'goja' itself means sexual dysfunction. Although the meme's meaning has expanded to signify the 'absence of something,' in certain situations, it could be misinterpreted as hate speech against individuals with sexual dysfunction. Therefore, it is advisable to use it carefully, considering these sensitive elements.