Pohanghang

The "Pohanghang" meme began trending in Korean online communities around 2019, with the sound of the word "Pohanghang" resembling laughter, making it a humorous expression. Variations such as "Pohanghanghang" or "Pohahhahang" are frequently used, often to tease the author or to lighten the mood in a situation.

This meme originated from the soccer community FMKorea. It first appeared after games or incidents involving the Pohang Steelers football team, but soon began showing up in unrelated posts as well. Later, it evolved into forms combined with emoticons and spread to other communities, including women-focused sites, gaining further popularity. Combined with cute emoticons, it is often used for lighthearted jokes and pranks.

One common usage involves pairing the word "Pohanghang" with harbor or wave emojis to elicit laughter. Starting as a simple wordplay, Pohanghang has found broad application in various internet scenarios.