Pengsoo
 | This article may require copy editing for encyclopedic style and tone.. (May 2020) |
| Pengsoo | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | April, 2019 |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | Pengsoo |
| Species | Giant Penguin |
| Gender | Unknown |
| Occupation | Creator |
| Affiliation | Educational Broadcasting System |
| Origin | Antarctica |
Pengsoo is a penguin character which appears on the YouTube channel Giant Peng TV, run by Educational Broadcasting System (EBS) in Korea. In the comic, Pengsoo is a 10 year old trainee at EBS who dreams of being a universal superstar.[1]
Pengsoo was also invited to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and met Minister Kang Kyung-wha on November 6, 2019 to promote a special summit between South Korea and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.[2]It also entered the 2021 EBS College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) special lecture and was featured as the EBS PerfectScore Workbook cover model, which was released in 2020.[3]
On January 29, 2020, Giant PengTV (자이언트 펭TV) reached 2 million subscribers.
Character
EBS has had a famous penguin character, Pororo the Little Penguin, since 2003, who is a very gentle creature. Pengsoo potrays the role of an anti-hero to compare with Pororo or other characters.[4] This works as a charming point for Kidults, "adults who were kids at once",[5] and has built a fandom with over 1.96 million YouTube subscribers.
Pengsoo syndrome
Pengsoo's rise in popularity is largely credited to its honest, independent, and self-confident nature. By breaking the existing social norms in Korea and speaking up for himself, Pengsoo gives the Korean audience vicarious satisfaction.
Fans of Pengsoo say that "Pengsoo is Pengsoo" in the sense that despite the general opinion of Pengsoo as a "penguin doll where there is another person inside the doll", they consider it just a 10-year-old Penguin from the South Pole. They just see Pengsoo as Pengsoo, not as a doll. This can sound strange to non-fans, but it is thought of as a game.
Influence
Pengsoo was chosen as the "Animal of the year 2020". Pengsoo is one of the most influential penguins in South Korea currently and has shot lots of TV commercials and public advertisements for encouragement, cheering on the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Buzzwords
Pengsoo is credited with popularizing buzzwords like "눈치챙겨 (on your wits), 엣헴엣헴, 신이나, 펭러뷰, 펭하, 펭빠"
Merchandise
Due to Pengsoo's popularity, consumers asked EBS to make and sell Pengsoo's official merchandise. EBS has released Pengsoo calendar, Pengsoo pajama, Pengsoo mug, Pengsoo diary, Pengsoo clothes etc. in the market for its fans. They have become quite popular in certain areas.
Discography
As lead artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOR [6] | |||
| "This Is Pengsoo" (펭수로 하겠습니다) with Tiger JK, Bizzy, Bibi |
2020 | 54 | Billboard Project Vol. 1 |
References
- ^ "TV". home.ebs.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-11-29.
- ^ "Penguin character Pengsu".
- ^ "[방송소식] 펭수, EBS 수능특강 표지모델 外". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2020-05-03.
- ^ '펭TV' 펭수 "교육은 가르치는 게 아니라 인생 그 자체", 한국경제, 2019-10-2.
- ^ 지금까지 이런 펭귄은 없었다…2030도 사로잡은 '펭수', 노컷뉴스, 2019-10-17.
- ^ "Gaon Digital Chart" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart.
- "2020 Week 17 Digital Chart". Retrieved April 30, 2020.