Korean Memes: I'm Okay...Ding Ding Ding!
Welcome to the Meme Translate Substack, where we share and explain the hottest memes across Asia.
Memes in this post:
괜찮아, 딩딩딩딩딩 (gwaenchanh-a, dingdingdingdingding)
The “Gwenchana Ding Ding Ding” Dance by K-Pop Star Karina
괜찮아, 딩딩딩딩딩 (gwaenchanh-a, dingdingdingdingding)
I’m Okay / It’s Okay. Ding ding ding ding ding!
Ding Ding Ding! The Meme That Took Over South Korea and the World
We've all had those moments when we try to act like we’ve got everything under control when, in reality, it’s all a chaotic mess. Enter the “I’m Okay, Ding Ding Ding” meme era—a viral sensation started by an Indonesian gamer / streamer has turned into a global anthem for pretending everything’s fine, even when it’s not. 🎶
The Birth of the Meme
It all started with Aldean Tegar, an Indonesian streamer who has a deep love for the South Korean culture (because…who doesn’t?). During a broadcast, he was trying to reassure himself—and his viewers—by saying “I’m Okay, I’m fine…” Then, for reasons only Aldean can explain, he started humming the Korean lyrics in the Vietnamese hit song “Không Sao Cả” (“It’s Okay” by Rap Việt feat. 7dnight):
“Gwaenchanh-a (I’m Okay / It’s Okay). Ding ning ning ning ning (Ding ding ding ding ding)...”
Source: Youtube- @유머다람쥐
And just like that, an accidental hum turned into a global meme. 🤡
Now you can see people all over the world doing the Gwenchana dance challenge on platforms varying from Instagram to Xiaohongshu aka redone.
Source: Instagram - @stevendengg
Instagram digital creator Steven Deng knows how to stop a car (with rizz).
Source: YouTube - @daleklife
Watch teen boys Dylan (with glasses) and Lucas doing the Gwenchana dance challenge. All was well until they were videobombed by a fur friend!
Source: rednote - @922043487
Ming Ming is a rednote user from Malaysia. She chose to follow the trend and do the Gwenchana dance to celebrate the Chinese New Year!
The Meme's Rise in South Korea
While the meme spread across the globe, it found a special place in South Koreans’ hearts. The South Korean internet culture has always embraced quirky, relatable content, and this meme fit in perfectly. The country’s high-pressure culture often forces people to hide their struggles and put up a facade. Aldean’s “Gwenchana Ding Ding Ding” meme perfectly mirrored that universal experience of concealing anxiety, for better or for worse.
Korean influencers and streamers jumped on the bandwagon, using the meme in parodies, videos, and daily life.
The “Gwenchana Ding Ding Ding” Dance by K-Pop Star Karina
For example, here’s a TikTok meme dance clip by the K-Pop singer / rapper Karina (카리나 or Yu Ji-min, from the girl group Aespa). Posted on January 16, 2025, the clip has received 2.8 million likes so far.
Source: Tiktok-@aespa_official
Source: YouTube - @Hailey_Your Korean Friend
YouTuber @Hailey_Your Korean Friend explained the linguistic aspect of “Gwenchana” (I’m Okay / It’s Okay” in a January 29, 2025 video, using Karina’s trending clip as an example. Her language lesson has garnered 64k views on YouTube.
Why This Meme Resonates
I’d say the “Gwenchana Ding Ding Ding (I’m Okay / It’s Okay, Ding Ding Ding)” meme is a symbol of embracing the struggle, but doing it with a smile (and a catchy tune). When it comes to dealing with the stress of work, school and life, South Koreans can perfectly relate to the attempt to pretend to be “Okay.” 😌
At its core, this meme is more than a funny soundbite—it’s about the universal struggle of forced composure, probably with the “fake it till you make it” mindset. What it’s gonna do to the users’ mental health, merits further discussion.
Witnessing the meme travel far and wide, from South Korea to Malaysia to the U.S., sometimes we can’t help lamenting how many people have tried to “hang in there” despite physical and / or mental exhaustion.
However, looking on the bright side, we may take the meme as a reminder to stay optimistic and resilient. Whether you use the meme to pacify yourself, shake off tension, or to convince those who worry about you, the addictive “Gwenchana Ding Ding Ding” melody could be your 2025 motto of “KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON”!
Source: Wikipedia - Keep Calm and Carry On
So, go ahead—embrace the chaos, and remember: It’s Okay. Ding Ding Ding!
#DingDingDing #ItsOkay #MemeCulture #PretendToBeOkay #SouthKoreanTrend #GlobalMeme
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