맑은 눈의 광인

The Korean name is "맑은 눈의 광인" (Malgeun Nun-ui Gwang-in).

• Mal-geun (맑은): Sounds like "Mahl-geun," where "Mahl" rhymes with "tall" and "geun" rhymes with "gun."
• Nun-ui (눈의): Sounds like "Noon-ee," where "Noon" is like the time of day and "ee" is like the letter "e."
• Gwang-in (광인): Sounds like "Gwahng-een," where "Gwahng" rhymes with "gong" but with a 'wah' sound, and "een" rhymes with "seen."

The shortened form, "맑눈광" (Mal-noon-gwang), sounds like "Mahl-noon-gwang."

The 'Madman with Clear Eyes' meme first began to be used around 2020 on Twitter. Initially, it was used to describe the extraordinary tenacity felt from the clear eyes of passionate characters in shonen manga or children's animation. Later, with the success of the movie 'Top Gun: Maverick' in June 2022, the appearance of Maverick's character spread as the 'Fake Madness vs. Real Madness' meme, drawing attention in online communities. In the same year, IVE's An Yu-jin gained the nickname 'Mal-noon-gwang' on tvN's 'Earth Arcade,' making it more widely known to the public. Subsequently, the character played by actress Kim Ah-young in the 'MZ Office' segment of SNL Korea Reboot Season 3 gained immense popularity, leading to its full-fledged trend.

'The Madman with Clear Eyes' refers to a person or character who appears to have clear and innocent eyes on the surface, but whose gaze reveals an unknown, intense tenacity or madness. It is also shortened to 'Mal-noon-gwang'. In contrast to the traditional "sanpaku eyes" (three whites) or "dead eyes" used to depict mad characters, this meme is characterized by finding paradoxical madness in clear eyes. It is primarily used for individuals with an iron will who can endure any hardship for their goals, sometimes even disregarding minor inconveniences, and is often recognized as a form of 'true madness.'

This meme initially gained popularity among the younger generation, primarily on Twitter and female-dominated online communities. Subsequently, it spread widely through TV programs and web content, and is now broadly used across all generations, not limited to a specific age or gender. It is especially frequently used among those who enjoy popular culture content to describe the unique aspects of people or characters.

• In the movie 'Top Gun: Maverick,' the scene where Maverick stares at an opponent with clear eyes was cited as an example of 'true madness,' accompanied by the joke, "I don't know what it is, but that guy seems to have made up his mind, and it's terrifying."
• IVE's An Yu-jin earned the nickname 'Mal-noon-gwang' on 'Earth Arcade' by showing an unconventional side, unconstrained by her idol image.

It is important to accurately understand the meaning when using the 'Madman with Clear Eyes' meme. In particular, the 'Mal-noon-gwang' character played by Kim Ah-young in SNL Korea's 'MZ Office' was criticized for being portrayed as impolite and rude, diverging from the original meaning of the meme. Therefore, using this expression for someone who is merely impolite or rude can distort the meme's original meaning, so caution is advised. It is best used appropriately to express a strong will or extraordinary tenacity hidden within clear eyes.