중요한 것은 꺾이지 않는 마음 - deft

What's Important Is an Unyielding Spirit - Deft[187]

The Korean phrase "중요한 것은 꺾이지 않는 마음 - Deft[187]" can be approximated as:

• Joong-yo-han guh-seun kkeok-ki-ji ahn-neun ma-eum (중요한 것은 꺾이지 않는 마음): Roughly "Joong-yoh-hahn guh-seun kkeok-kee-jee ahn-neun mah-eum."

* "Joong-yoh-hahn" (중요한): Like 'joong' in 'jungle', 'yoh' like 'yo-yo', 'hahn' like 'han' in 'Hannah'. * "guh-seun" (것은): Like 'guh' in 'guts', 'seun' like 'soon' but with a softer 's'. * "kkeok-kee-jee" (꺾이지): A stressed 'k' sound, 'kee' like 'key', 'jee' like 'gee' in 'geese'. * "ahn-neun" (않는): Like 'ahn' in 'aunt', 'neun' like 'noon' but shorter 'oo'. * "mah-eum" (마음): Like 'mah' in 'mama', 'eum' like 'um' in 'umbrella'.

• Deft: As in the English word "deft."
• [187]: "One-eight-seven."

This meme began to gain significant popularity in late 2022, sparked by the League of Legends World Championship (Worlds). The phrase garnered attention when Team DRX achieved an unexpected victory at Worlds. Subsequently, its popularity spread even more widely, coinciding with the South Korean national football team's strong performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

"중요한 것은 꺾이지 않는 마음" (Jung-yo-han geot-eun kkeok-ki-ji ann-neun ma-eum), often abbreviated as "중꺾마" (Jung-kkeok-ma), signifies an indomitable will and spirit to persevere and challenge oneself persistently, without giving up, even amidst difficulties or setbacks. This phrase originated from an interview with professional gamer Deft (real name Kim Hyuk-kyu) of Team DRX during the 2022 Worlds Group Stage. After a loss, he stated, "Although we lost today... I think we can win if we don't crumble amongst ourselves." Cookie News reporter Moon Dae-chan summarized this sentiment in a video title: "DRX Deft 'Loss against Rogue is fine, what's important is an unyielding spirit'," thus coining the phrase. Although Deft himself did not directly use this exact phrase, the miraculous journey of Team DRX, overcoming their underdog status to win the championship, perfectly aligned with the sentiment of the phrase, leading to its widespread popularity and profound emotional impact.

Initially, this meme was primarily used among League of Legends esports fans, including fans of player Deft and Team DRX. However, as the narrative of DRX's championship victory intertwined with the South Korean football team's performance at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, it spread to the general public who were facing personal challenges or difficult situations, such as job hunting, academics, or dieting. It became a nationwide catchphrase, even being utilized in political circles and by corporations. Therefore, it can be described as a meme widely used by all generations and genders.

• It is used to encourage oneself or others, for example, when repeatedly failing a difficult exam, one might say, "What's important is an unyielding spirit, so let's try again!"
• In sports, when an underdog team performs well against a stronger opponent or achieves a come-from-behind victory, one might praise their fighting spirit by saying, "What was truly important was their unyielding spirit!"
• A prime example of its use is when the South Korean national football team players celebrated their advancement to the Round of 16 at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, holding a Taegeukgi (Korean flag) inscribed with "중요한 것은 꺾이지 않는 마음."
• In daily life, when feeling frustrated, people might use "Jung-kkeok-ma" in social media status updates to reinforce a positive mindset.
• In online communities, when encountering frustrating or difficult situations, people sometimes humorously comment "What's important is an unyielding spirit" to lighten the mood.