KB News Desk
If you want a recap of Korea’s biggest memes and viral moments, look no further than Uijeongbu High School’s annual graduation photos.
Since 2009, the high school in Gyeonggi Province has upheld a 17-year tradition of allowing graduating seniors to design their own graduation photo concepts, often recreating the year’s most talked-about memes and celebrities.
This year’s photos, released on the school’s social media account on Monday, once again featured a collection of humorous and creative costumes, ranging from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to the disgraced former South Korea national football team coach Hong Myung-bo.
One of the most recognizable costumes referenced Hong, who faced widespread criticism following South Korea’s deflating performance at the FIFA World Cup. A student recreated Hong’s viral “fight” meme from footage of a pre-match team meeting before a Nov. 15 friendly against Ghana, in which he repeatedly urged his players to “fight.”
Another standout costume paid tribute to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and his headline-grabbing meetings with Korean tech leaders at the fried chicken chain Kkanbu Chicken, dubbed the “Kkanbu summit” by local media. Huang’s June visit to South Korea became a media sensation, and two students recreated the scene, with one sporting Huang’s signature black leather jacket and carrying a graphics card while the other portrayed the chicken dish on the table.
Popular films and television shows also made appearances. Students dressed as characters from Netflix’s recent hit “Teach You a Lesson” and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” while another group recreated SNL Korea’s viral “Smile Clinic” sketch.
Students also took inspiration from “The King’s Warden,” which was released in February and became one of Korea’s biggest box-office hits, helping fuel actor Park Ji-hoon’s surge in popularity.
Despite Uijeongbu High being an all-boys school, cross-gender costumes remained one of the event’s signature features. Several students dressed as members of the girl group Rescene, inspired by the explosive popularity of one member’s personal YouTube channel. A student recreated the group’s styling from the videos and transformed into a gyaru, a throwback to the Japanese fashion subculture of the 1990s.
