"Oh? Are You an SK hynix Employee?" Attitudes Instantly Change as Record Performance Bonuses Spark Meme Craze

A male cast member wearing an SK hynix vest under a jumper. Screenshot from the SNL Korea YouTube channel.

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Amid the semiconductor boom, SK hynix, which has posted its largest earnings since its founding, is fueling expectations of record-breaking performance bonuses this year. As a result, related memes are spreading quickly across various social media platforms. One entertainment program even featured a scene inspired by this phenomenon, drawing significant attention.

In episode 5 of season 8 of "SNL Korea," released on Coupang Play on April 25, a scene centered on an SK hynix employee was portrayed. In the episode, a man dressed in shabby clothes enters a high-end clothing store, only to be stopped by a clerk who says, "This isn’t a place for someone like you. This is a luxury store. If you’re not going to buy anything, you can’t try it on."

However, unfazed, the man removes his jumper to reveal a vest emblazoned with "SK hynix," instantly shifting the atmosphere. The clerk’s attitude changes dramatically, exclaiming, "Hynix? Hynix God." This term is a portmanteau of SK hynix and God, used to describe SK hynix employees who receive high performance bonuses.

A meme featuring an SK hynix employee. SNS screenshot

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On social media, memes (viral online content) featuring SK hynix employees are also multiplying. Recently, an internet user posted a photo showing the back of a man wearing a jacket with the SK hynix logo, accompanied by the caption, "The ultimate blind date outfit in Korea right now," eliciting laughter.

Another post went viral, stating, "These days, SK hynix employees downplay their jobs by saying they work at Samsung Electronics during blind dates. If a woman with good character, rather than just a good job, passes their test, they reveal they actually work at hynix."

A meme featuring SK hynix employees. Screenshot from social media.

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The driving force behind this trend is SK hynix’s overwhelming performance. Boosted by surging demand for artificial intelligence (AI), SK hynix posted sales of 5.25763 trillion won and an operating profit of 3.76103 trillion won in the first quarter of this year. These figures represent increases of 198% and 405%, respectively, compared to the same period last year, marking the highest-ever quarterly earnings.

The company operates a performance sharing (PS) system, allocating 10% of operating profit as the pool for bonuses. In the market, there is speculation that if annual operating profits expand significantly, the scale of bonuses could reach unprecedented levels. Some even predict that employees could receive compensation in the hundreds of millions of won per person, further heightening expectations.

The stock price is also soaring. On April 27, SK hynix set a new all-time high during trading on the Korea Exchange, surpassing 1.31 million won per share.

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