Korean Memes: Queen Never Cry
Welcome to the Meme Translate Substack, where we share and explain the hottest memes across Asia.
Memes in this post:
퀸 네버 크라이 (kwin nebeo keulai)
“Queen Never Cry” Stray Kids Version
Myriad Renditions of “Queen Never Cry”
퀸 네버 크라이 (kwin nebeo keulai)
Queen never cry. Queens don’t cry.
If you’ve been scrolling through your feed lately, chances are you’ve seen the viral line “Queen Never Cry” making waves. This iconic moment is from Chapter 34 of the hit Naver manhwa (Korean comics) The Ki Sisters (기자매, literally “Sisters of the Press,” now translated into English by Webtoons.com). Once it dropped, the internet couldn’t get enough!
Picture this: a newborn baby is crying, and in a soothing whisper, the mother says, “Queen never cry,” instantly stopping the baby’s tears. Unfathomable, right?
Source: Namuwiki
This is exactly what happened:
On November 22, 2024, Chapter 34 of the The Ki Sisters was released. In a particular panel of the manhwa, a mother, Queen Serina, is handed her crying newborn, Queen Laura. She utters three magic words, "Queen never cry," which prompts the baby to immediately stop crying. In the next panel, Baby Queen Laura crosses her arms and looks ahead, attentive and solemn.
Source: YouTube - @knowyourtiktok
Even though the manhwa hasn’t turned into an animated series yet, Internet users have imagined what Queen Serina and Baby Queen Laura might sound like and created a 10-hour version of the “Queen never cry” meme.
Source: YouTube - @10HoursMovies
Unbelievable, right? 😅💫
Think about it - this line is simple yet majestic. It’s like the universe’s way of telling us we too can rise above the drama. Whether you're dealing with an annoying coworker or a bad hair day, just channel your inner queen and remember, queens don’t cry. 👑✨
As soon as this moment got online, the meme floodgates opened. People everywhere started dropping their own “Queen never cry” captions, pairing them with everything from toddlers to pets to famous K-drama characters / K-Pop singers.
“Queen Never Cry” Stray Kids Version
People have been sharing the “Queen Never Cry” meme featuring their favorite K-Pop stars like Seo Chang-bin (서창빈) and Lee Know (리노) from the boy band Stray Kids.
Source: TikTok - @hhjkiara
This 6-second clip has owned 44.6k likes, 8,995 saves and 4,597 shares.
If you wondered why Koreans like the “Queen Never Cry” meme, here’s my take:
Koreans are all about resilience and grace, so the “Queen never cry” meme really hits home. It taps into that admiration for strong, empowered characters, whether it’s a baby or a queen. In a culture where perseverance is key, this meme gives off a positive "I’ve got this" vibe that inspires South Koreans to navigate everyday life with great panache. Plus, who wouldn’t want to channel their inner royalty and keep it together like a queen?
So, if you need some royal inspiration today, just utter the mantra, "Queen never cry." After all, who has time for tears when they're busy ruling the world? 🏰👑
Just kidding. Gender Studies scholars encourage people, especially men and boys, to cry. They may probably frown upon the sexist undertone of this meme and advocate for the expression of vulnerability: You can be a resilient crybaby!
But…of course, the comedic effect of this meme lies, exactly, in how unrealistic it is for a wailing baby to quiet down within a second. On second thought, the popularity of “Queen Never Cry” has actually mocked the suffocating expectations of traditional masculinity to some extent - only in webtoons can you expect to stop the natural flow of strong emotions!
Myriad Renditions of “Queen Never Cry”
The spread of memes is a collective effort. When global internet users unite, their creative force is certainly going to make you split your sides.
X user @_miumilk_ connects “Queen Never Cry” with the Sonic the Hedgehog fandom.
Source: X - @_miumilk_
YouTuber @겜생돋보기 adds a drop of dark humor: Queen never cry…”but still dies!”
Source: Youtube - @겜생돋보기
In memory of Duo the Owl, Duolingo’s make-believe mascot who passed earlier this week, let’s wrap up today’s Korean Memes post with the language-learning app’s hilarious TikTok take on “Queen Never Cry.”
Source: TikTok - @duolingo
"He probably died waiting for you to do your lesson, but what do we know," Duolingo joked in a statement on February 10.
Wow - turns out this is a true story of “Queen never cry…but still dies!”
Thanks for reading today’s Meme Translate! Each week, we’ll share the most viral and interesting memes from Asian countries like China, Japan and South Korea.
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