민희진 대표의 긴급 기자회견

Meme Name: Min Hee-jin's Emergency Press Conference

Min Hee-jin Dae-pyo-eui Gin-geup Gi-ja-hoe-gyeon (pronounced roughly as "Min Hee-jin deh-pyoh-eh gin-geup gee-jah-hweh-gyun")

The emergency press conference held by Min Hee-jin, CEO of ADOR, exploded in popularity immediately after its first session on April 25, 2024. On the day of the press conference, mentions of 'Min Hee-jin' on social media exceeded 90,000, and over the entire week, they neared 300,000, indicating immense public interest. The content of the press conference was reproduced in various ways, establishing itself as a form of 'playful culture' or 'entertainment.'

This meme originated from a combination of factors displayed by CEO Min Hee-jin during her press conference to clarify her position on the management dispute with HYBE: her unconventional and candid attitude, unreserved speech, and unique fashion. In particular, unlike typical corporate press conferences, her use of expletives in an agitated emotional state and her expression of injustice despite her lawyer's attempts to restrain her left a strong impression on the public.

The main meanings are as follows:

• Representation of the Sorrows of K-Office Workers: Min Hee-jin referred to herself as a 'salaried CEO' and an 'office worker,' emphasizing that she could complain about her superiors or company. This resonated with many office workers.
• Candid and Unreserved Remarks: Her unfiltered use of strong expletives and emotional expressions like "gaejeossi" (a derogatory term for middle-aged men), "jolla isanghan ingandeul" (fcking weirdos), and "ssibal" (fck) became a hot topic, earning her the nickname 'K-hip-hop's top' for her frankness.
• Authenticity as 'NewJeans Mom': Many felt her authenticity as 'NewJeans Mom' when she shed tears, comparing the NewJeans members to 'my own children,' and expressed concern for NewJeans' activities.
• Breaking Conventional Norms: Her unrefined language and emotional appeals were widely seen as completely breaking the mold of traditional corporate press conferences.

This meme was consumed by a wide age range, from teenagers to people in their 40s, particularly those interested in the entertainment industry and K-POP fandom. Among young women in their 20s and 30s, there was a notable tendency to empathize with 'the injustice of K-office workers oppressed by 'gaejeossi' bosses' in Min Hee-jin's statements, leading to their support. Furthermore, netizens of all ages who actively use online communities and social media participated in the creation and spread of the meme.

• Parody Videos and Audio: Videos editing press conference scenes to hip-hop beats or overlaying music onto specific remarks to create music video-like content garnered high viewership.
• Quotation Usage: Remarks such as "I wasn't just sitting still because I'm an idiot," "gaejeossi" (a derogatory term for middle-aged men), "maengnakmaeng" (someone who misses the context or lacks contextual understanding), and "just come at me head-on" became popular phrases and were widely quoted online.
• 'Min Hee-jin Look' Fashion: The green striped sweatshirt and blue baseball cap worn by CEO Min Hee-jin during the press conference, as well as the yellow cardigan she wore at the second press conference, were dubbed the 'Min Hee-jin Look.' They caused sell-outs and were even traded at premium prices in the second-hand market.
• Situational Metaphor: When feeling wronged or frustrated, or when making candid remarks that break conventional norms, people metaphorically use situations or quotes from Min Hee-jin's press conference.

The meme of Min Hee-jin's press conference includes the use of expletives and agitated emotional expressions in a public setting, so users must consider the situation and context when using it. In particular, expletives can cause offense to certain individuals, so caution is advised. Furthermore, Min Hee-jin herself has stated that the memeification of her press conference was 'hurtful' and that 'it was a desperate story, and it was unacceptable for it to be trivialized into a meme.' Therefore, prudence is required when using this meme. This meme has the background of a serious legal dispute between corporations, so if consumed lightly, it could obscure the essence of the issue or cause harm to the parties involved.