광인의 천옷

Gwahng-een-oo-ee Chuhn-oht (Literal translation: Madman's Robes)

This meme originated in June 2016 from a post on the Classic Game Gallery of DC Inside

. It gained popularity primarily among those born in the 1990s, based on shared negative experiences with teachers who wore modernized hanbok during their school days. The meme's mention in a Sogang University newspaper article in 2022 indicates that its recognition persists, also being used as an expression representing past stereotypes during a period of changing perceptions towards hanbok.

'Madman's Robes' is a meme implying that teachers who frequently wear modernized hanbok exhibit eccentric or 'mad' behavior. This originated from a stereotype formed by those born in the 1990s, linking modernized hanbok with teachers who were authoritarian, sometimes excessively used corporal punishment, displayed nationalistic ideologies, or exhibited 'kkondae' (old-fashioned, condescending) tendencies during their school days. Specifically, the image of teachers using a danso (a small bamboo flute) as a weapon for corporal punishment became one of the meme's typical tropes.

This meme is primarily used among the younger generation, including those born in the 1990s. It originated and spread through male-dominated online communities like DC Inside, and is consumed by those who share specific school-day experiences, fostering a sense of empathy.

This meme can be used to describe individuals who wear modernized hanbok and exhibit authoritarian or old-fashioned attitudes, or those who are excessively devoted to a particular ideology and are tiresome to deal with. For example, it can be used like, "When that teacher comes wearing the Madman's Robes, they always say strange things." In 2024, the phrase 'Madman's Robes' was even mentioned in YouTube content where people tried on modern hanbok to shed the negative image associated with it.

Judging someone solely by their attire is a logical fallacy, and this meme contains stereotypes about people who wear modernized hanbok. Therefore, one should refrain from disparaging all people who wear modernized hanbok or generalizing them as having specific ideologies. Furthermore, as the meme originated from experiences with teachers' authoritarian attitudes and corporal punishment, using it to disparage real educational issues or an individual's attire can cause offense, so caution is advised.