시간 빌게이츠

See-gahn Bill Gates

The '시간 빌게이츠' (Time Bill Gates) meme began gaining popularity on the Korean internet from 2022. It became widely known particularly in June 2022, when a user on an online community, after a conflict with a chicken restaurant owner, posted a message emphasizing that they were unemployed and jobless, threatening revenge. Another user then commented, "You messed with a Time Bill Gates, lol," which led to its widespread recognition.

'시간 빌게이츠' is a sarcastic expression referring to someone who has so much time that they waste it on useless things or obsessively dedicate themselves to a single task, much like Bill Gates has immense wealth. It is primarily used metaphorically to describe unemployed or jobless people. It is also used in the context of criticizing people who, due to their abundance of free time, become excessively engrossed in online community activities. Similar expressions include '시간 만수르' (Time Mansour) and '타임 머스크' (Time Musk).

This meme is primarily used among young people, from late teens to their 30s, who are active users of internet communities. It is especially prevalent on various online platforms such as DC Inside, Ruliweb, Theqoo, Gaedrip.net, and Namuwiki, and is mainly used to criticize others who spend excessive time on online activities or engage in unnecessary arguments.

• "The owner is in big trouble, messing with a Time Bill Gates, lol."
• "A: OO, are you free this weekend? Let's go shopping together! B: I quit my weekend part-time job, so I'm a Time Bill Gates these days~ So, where should we go shopping?"
• "In Namuwiki discussions, a Time Bill Gates always wins."

'시간 빌게이츠' carries a sarcastic or mocking connotation. Therefore, it is best not to use it directly towards a specific person or in serious conversations or formal settings. Especially in online communities, calling another user a '시간 빌게이츠' might be considered taunting and could lead to sanctions, so caution is advised.