Pengsoo

Pengsoo (Korean: 펭수, Pengsu) is a penguin character that appears on the YouTube channel Giant Peng TV, run by Educational Broadcasting System (EBS) in South Korea. In the comic, Pengsoo is a ten-year-old trainee at EBS who dreams of being a universal superstar.[1]

Pengsoo
First appearance
  • Tok!Tok! Boni, Hani
  • April, 2019
In-universe information
Full namePengsoo
SpeciesGiant Penguin
GenderUnknown
OccupationCreator
AffiliationEducational Broadcasting System
OriginAntarctica

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 ten-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 Peng TV (자이언트 펭TV) reached 2 million subscribers.

Character

Pengsoo portrays the role of an anti-hero. It breaks existing social norms in Korea and contrasts with another famous penguin character on EBS, Pororo the Little Penguin, who is a more gentle creature.[4] Pengsoo appeals to Kidults and has built a fan base of more than 2 million YouTube subscribers. [5]

Popularity

Pengsoo's rise in popularity is largely credited to its unique character. It has been described as rude, back-talking, and brazen.[6]

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 many TV commercials and public advertisements for encouragement, cheering on the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2019, Pengsoo beat BTS to become South Korea's "Person of the Year".[7]

Buzzwords

Pengsoo is credited with popularizing buzzwords like "눈치챙겨 (on your wits), 엣헴엣헴, 신이나, 펭러뷰, 펭하, 펭빠"[8]

Merchandise

Due to Pengsoo's popularity, consumers asked EBS to make and sell Pengsoo's official merchandise. EBS has released the 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. Pengsoo also made an appearance as a playable character in Nexon’s mobile game KartRider Rush+ since November 26th, 2020.

Discography

As a lead artist
Title Year Peak chart
positions		 Album
KOR
[9]
"This Is Pengsoo" (펭수로 하겠습니다)
with Tiger JK, Bizzy, Bibi		 2020 54 Billboard Project Vol. 1
"Christmas Returns" (크리스마스 리턴즈)
with Kim Tae-woo (g.o.d), Park Jin-joo, Yoon Sang		 152 Non-album single

References
  1. "TV". home.ebs.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-11-29.
  2. "Penguin character Pengsu".
  3. "[방송소식] 펭수, EBS 수능특강 표지모델 外". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  4. '펭TV' 펭수 "교육은 가르치는 게 아니라 인생 그 자체", 한국경제, 2019-10-2.
  5. 지금까지 이런 펭귄은 없었다...2030도 사로잡은 '펭수', 노컷뉴스, 2019-10-17.
  6. "Pengsoo: The rude giant penguin that South Korea fell in love with". BBC. BBC News. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  7. Gifford, Storm. "Penguin mascot Pengsoo voted South Korea's Person of the Year". New York Daily News. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  8. 이, 정현 (2020-01-03). "'놀면 뭐하니' 펭수 연예대상 대기실서 '정체' 공개될까? 플린 김동준 관심도 수직↑" ['How do you play' Is Pengsu going to reveal his identity in the wating room of the entertainment award? Increased interest in Kim Dong-joon, YouTuber 'Flynn'.]. 내외경제TV (in Korean). Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  9. "Gaon Digital Chart" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart.
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