Pepe the Frog

The Pepe meme originates from the frog character "Pepe the Frog," which appeared in the 2005 comic "Boy's Club" by American cartoonist Matt Furie. Pepe originally appeared in the comic saying the phrase "Feels good man," but by around 2008, it started gaining popularity through the online community 4chan. In particular, in 2009, a sad-faced Pepe became widely known with the phrase "Feels bad man," evolving into a meme expressing various emotions.

The Pepe meme is mainly used in internet forums and social media, where it is modified with different expressions and captions to suit different situations. There are various versions, including sad Pepe, angry Pepe, and smiling Pepe, which are used to express different emotions. Pepe has also been used to convey political and social messages, and in recent years, it has been seen as a symbol of freedom and resistance, such as during the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests.

Despite its original creator's intentions, the Pepe meme was also co-opted by far-right groups as a symbol of hate. During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, it was frequently used by Donald Trump supporters, leading to controversy. In response, Matt Furie took legal action to prevent Pepe from being used as a hate symbol. However, the meme continues to be used in various contexts, with its meaning constantly evolving.