wwe

WWE

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This meme first appeared on August 24, 2023, in a post titled 'Anyway, today's Reboot nerf is also a wrestling show' on the MapleStory Gallery of DC Inside. On the same day, during streamer Kkolrang's broadcast watching the Maple Vision Talk, a donation using the word 'WWE' was turned into an image macro, leading to its spread within related communities. It spread again on January 4, 2024, when a related comment became a top comment on FMKorea. From mid-2024, it gained widespread recognition in other gaming communities through word-of-mouth on YouTube and internet broadcasts, via the 'Shin Chang-seop meme' and songs like 'Changpop'.

The WWE meme is a slang term used to mean something similar to 'a rigged game' or 'a scripted role-play'. Inspired by the fact that actual professional wrestling matches are predetermined shows, it's used to describe situations where a conflict or confrontation appears fierce on the surface, but both sides are somewhat aware of the outcome and are operating within an agreed-upon framework. It's often used to describe scenarios where online game users express dissatisfaction with game operators, demanding improvements or compensation, but are merely 'pretending to be angry or fighting' without actually intending to quit the game, engaging in a power struggle for appropriate rewards. Because it's easy to pronounce and has a playful nuance, this term is replacing existing expressions and is increasingly favored across various fields to describe 'a situation where both sides fight while understanding that the outcome is somewhat predetermined'. Conversely, for unagreed-upon, unexpected situations or genuine fights, it's compared to UFC; if the situation becomes very serious, it's likened to WW2 or WW3.

It primarily originated among online game community users but is now widely used across various internet communities. It is also frequently used in communities discussing history or current affairs, for instance, to describe 'antagonistic symbiotic relationships' in international diplomatic situations.

• When MapleStory users express dissatisfaction with game operators, seemingly protesting with "I'm so damn angry," but in reality, they have no intention of quitting the game and are engaging in a war of nerves to gain appropriate compensation, this situation is described as "It's just like WWE right now."
• In international diplomatic situations, where an all-out war would result in significant losses for both sides, the act of criticizing each other and engaging in shows of force while actually seeking a compromise within reasonable bounds is described by likening it to "WWE."