나가지 말라면 나가지 마, 밥 먹지 마, 모이지 마

Meme Name: 나가지 말라면 나가지 마, 밥 먹지 마, 모이지 마 (Na-ga-ji mal-ra-myeon na-ga-ji ma, bap meok-ji ma, mo-i-ji ma) (Pronunciation: Nah-gah-jee mahl-rah-myun nah-gah-jee mah, bahp mawk-jee mah, moh-ee-jee mah)

This meme gained significant popularity from late 2020 to early 2021. It originated from a video posted on Instagram by rapper Lee Young-ji during the height of social distancing recommendations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Na-ga-ji mal-ra-myeon na-ga-ji ma, bap meok-ji ma, mo-i-ji ma" is a meme that humorously and directly conveys the message of refraining from going out, avoiding gatherings, and ordering delivery food to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The added phrase, "Just order delivery, just eat tteokbokki!" (배달만 시켜, 떡볶이만 먹어!), further emphasized the small joys one could find while staying at home.

It was widely used primarily among younger generations, including the MZ generation, and gained popularity across all age groups who sympathized with the social distancing message. Many famous celebrities, such as Girls' Generation's Taeyeon, EXO's Kai, and (G)I-DLE's Miyeon, also parodied this meme, contributing to its widespread diffusion.

• When a friend tries to make weekend plans: "If they say don't go out, don't go out, don't eat out, don't gather! Let's just order delivery at home."
• In situations encouraging staying at home: "Today, if they say don't go out, don't go out! Just watch Netflix and eat tteokbokki!"
• Lee Young-ji also used this meme to produce and sell phone cases, donating all proceeds to COVID-19 related organizations.

This meme was created to encourage social distancing during the specific social context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, as the pandemic situation has now eased, it's important to understand its original context when using it. Lee Young-ji herself later faced some criticism when she became a model for travel-related advertisements during the 'With Corona' period.