"No Time to Explain, Get Out Quickly": Chaebol Meme Flipped Amid Stock Market Crash

Gaining Popularity Among Individual Investors

As the KOSPI index continues to plummet for several consecutive days, a new image that parodies the once-popular "Chaebol meme" has begun circulating among domestic stock investors.

On various social networking services (SNS) such as X and Threads, as well as online communities, the original Chaebol meme had previously gained significant popularity. The meme featured Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong reaching his hand out of a car and saying, "No time to explain, get in quickly."

Changes in the Chaebols Meme after the KOSPI Index Crash. Screenshot from an online community

This image, generated by artificial intelligence (AI), humorously depicted the KOSPI index maintaining a sharp upward trend even as the New York Stock Exchange, cryptocurrencies, and other assets were declining. The meme was later adapted to feature SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun, and others, eventually earning the nickname "Chaebol meme."

On the 4th, the KOSPI index plummeted by 12% compared to the previous day. SNS capture

However, the situation reversed after the Iranian airstrikes by the United States and Israel dealt a direct blow to the Korean stock market. On March 4, the KOSPI index closed at 5,093.54, down 12.06% compared to the previous day. Major blue-chip stocks that had driven the KOSPI's rise—Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, and Hyundai Motor—also plummeted by 11.74%, 9.58%, and 15.80%, respectively.

Some internet users cleverly captured this situation with a new version of the Chaebol meme. One popular image showed Chairman Lee and Chairman Chey driving away in a car, saying, "We'll be back, wait for us." Another meme depicted the chaebol leaders leaving the investor, who had just gotten into the car, behind. There were also edited images that flipped the original line to say, "No time to explain, get out quickly."

Among investors who saw these images, reactions included, "I swear I'll never trade stocks again, just save me this once," "I thought we were in this together until the end," "Chairman, where are you going without us?" and "I just got in and now you're telling me to get out."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.