조세호씨 왜 안 오셨어요?

This meme originated from a scene in the MBC variety show 'Sebakwi' in June 2015. Broadcaster Kim Heung-guk asked comedian Jo Se-ho, "Why didn't you come to Ahn Jae-wook's wedding?" to which Jo Se-ho replied, "How could I go if I don't even know him?" Although it didn't gain much attention at the time, it resurfaced and began to explode in popularity through online communities and social media approximately a year later, from late April to early May 2016. By May 2016, the number of related tweets surged, establishing it as a nationwide catchphrase.

The 'Jo Se-ho, Why Didn't You Come?' meme is a catchphrase that generates laughter by creating a situation where someone is asked why they didn't attend an absurd or completely unrelated event or place, which they supposedly "should have" attended. The core humor of this meme lies in the absurd comedy created by Kim Heung-guk's sudden, out-of-the-blue question, Jo Se-ho's flustered and bewildered expression, and his perfectly logical reply, "How could I go if I don't even know him?" The popularity of this meme earned Jo Se-ho the nickname 'Professional No-Show-er' (프로불참러, pro-bulcham-leo) and also led to the creation of derivative catchphrases like 'Pro-____-er' (프로○○러, pro-____-leo).

This meme was widely used across all age groups, primarily by those active in online communities and social media. Famous celebrities such as Taeyang of Big Bang, Cao Lu of FIESTAR, and Yoona of Girls' Generation also participated in parodies, contributing to its widespread popularity. It became a humor code that resonated with and could be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of age or gender.

• "Hyung, why didn't you come to our fan meeting in Japan?"
• "Now that I think about it, Oppa Se-ho didn't even come to my parents' wedding."
• "We had a concert, why didn't you come?"
• "Why didn't you visit my father when he was in the military?"
• "Why didn't you come when General Yi Seong-gye turned back his army at Wihwado?"
• "Today, our Busan Police Agency launched the nation's first 'Maritime Crime Investigation Unit,' but Se-ho, why didn't you come?"
• "I'm on a deadline, so why didn't Jo Se-ho come to help me?"

The Korean phrase "조세호씨 왜 안 오셨어요?" is pronounced approximately as: Joh Seh-ho-ssi Wae Ahn Oh-shyeo-sseo-yoh? (The 'ssi' is an honorific suffix, similar to Mr./Ms.)