Pengsoo

Educational Broadcasting System (EBS) first conceptualized Pengsoo as a character "the whole family could like" and was originally designed to target a demographic of children in South Korea around 10 years old. While EBS had significant success with children's programming, the company had generally targeted a younger age group with simple, "cute and cuddly" personas such as Pororo the Little Penguin. Pengsoo was intentionally written with a personality more akin to an antihero.

In May 2019, the number of subscribers was only 37.{{Cite news|last=Lee|first=Yu-jin(이유진)|date=2019-11-08|title="대한민국은 펭하!" 경계를 넘나드는 펭귄, 펭수앓이 왜?|trans-title=“Korea is Pengha!” Penguin crossing the border, why is the penguin?|work=Kyunghyang Shinmun|url=http://news.khan.co.kr/kh_news/khan_art_view.html?art_id=201911081625001}}

Pengsoo portrays the role of an anti-hero such as a light behavior or an honest expression of jealousy. 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.[https://www.hankyung.com/life/article/201910028249Y '펭TV' 펭수 "교육은 가르치는 게 아니라 인생 그 자체"], 한국경제, 2019-10-2. It began to gain popularity as he appeared with other characters in the program called EBS Athletics Championships (E-Yuk Dae),{{Cite news|last=Jang|first=Yu-ha(장유하)|date=2019-10-21|title=애들 지각시켰다고 항의 많이 받았던 개그우먼의 근황|work=jobsN|url=https://1boon.kakao.com/jobsN/5daa91526654465edc2101ad}} and the scene of complaining about the name of EBS's president Kim Myung-joong without hesitation gained a great response from office workers.{{Cite news|last1=Lee|first1=Min-jung(이민정)|last2=Kim|first2=Ji-hye(김지혜)|title=꼰대 깨부수는 병맛 센스···'어른들의 뽀로로' 펭수 만났다|trans-title=Sense of breaking ggondae ...We met Pengsu called 'Adults' Pororo',|work=JoongAng Ilbo|url=https://news.joins.com/article/23615697}}

Currently, it is called the PO-president of adults. Pengsoo appeals to Kidults and has built a fan base of more than 2 million YouTube subscribers.[https://www.nocutnews.co.kr/news/5229291 지금까지 이런 펭귄은 없었다...2030도 사로잡은 '펭수'], 노컷뉴스, 2019-10-17.

According to the self-introduction on the official website, Pengsoo is 10 years old and currently is an EBS trainee.{{Cite web|title=Character Introduction|url=https://home.ebs.co.kr/giantpeng/etc/2/htmlMenu|website=Giant Peng TV}} According to Pengsoo in its audition video, it said that it had been swimming in Antarctica to become the best creator, then crash-landed in Switzerland to learn the yodeling song and swim from Switzerland to the coast of Incheon, and he wanted to be like Pororo of EBS.{{Cite web|title=EBS 최초 연습생 펭수의 오디션 합격 TIP *최초공개*|trans-title=EBS' first trainee Pengsu passed the audition TIP *First public*|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_5lal40lCk&ab_channel=%EC%9E%90%EC%9D%B4%EC%96%B8%ED%8A%B8%ED%8E%ADTV|website=Giant Peng TV Youtube}} Pengsoo is deliberately genderless, and the height of Pengsoo is 2m 10 cm.{{Cite web|title=펭수에 대한 모든 QnA|trans-title=All QnA for Pengsu|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvMYYDFWiLE&t=40s&ab_channel=%EC%84%B8%EA%B3%84%EC%9D%BC%EB%B3%B4|website=Giant Peng TV Youtube}} In addition, Pengsoo is described as using Pengsoo's own toilets and showers.{{Cite web|title=[단독] 펭귄 의혹 전격 해부! ㅣ독점 인터뷰: 김민교, 양치승 [Ep.57] (ENG)|trans-title=[Exclusive] Dissecting the penguin suspicion! ㅣExclusive Interview: Minkyo Kim, Chiseung Yang [Ep.57] (ENG)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD-WQvgjsng&ab_channel=%EC%9E%90%EC%9D%B4%EC%96%B8%ED%8A%B8%ED%8E%ADTV|website=Giant Peng TV Youtube}}

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.{{Cite web |title=[방송소식] 펭수, EBS 수능특강 표지모델 外 |url=https://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&oid=001&aid=0011214361&sid1=001 |access-date=2020-05-03 |website=Naver News |language=ko}} Pengsoo was selected as a presenter for the 34th Golden Disk Awards{{Cite web |date=2020-01-07 |title=BTS, TWICE, And NU'EST Have A Blast Taking Photos With Pengsoo |url=https://www.soompi.com/article/1375728wpp/bts-twice-and-nuest-have-a-blast-taking-photos-with-pengsoo |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=Soompi |language=en}} and has made content with K-Pop group Twice.{{Cite web |date=2020-04-13 |title=Watch: TWICE Teaches Pengsoo How To Be A JYP Trainee + Dances "Feel Special" Together |url=https://www.soompi.com/article/1394013wpp/watch-twice-pengsoo-jyp-trainee-dances-feel-special-tgether |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=Soompi |language=en}}

Pengsoo's rise in popularity is largely credited to its unique character. It has been described as rude, back-talking, and brazen.{{cite web |date=19 May 2020 |title=Pengsoo: The rude giant penguin that South Korea fell in love with |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50753454 |accessdate= |website=BBC |publisher=BBC News}} Within a nine month span in 2019 - 2020, Pengsoo generated 10 billion won (approx. 7.6 million USD) in revenue.{{Cite web |date=2020-09-02 |title=Sensational character Pengsoo generates W10 billion in revenue in 9 months |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2022/08/398_295342.html |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=The Korea Times |language=en}} In 2019, Pengsoo's popularity was cited in increased searches by South Koreans of travel to Ushuaia, a point close to Antarctica allowing for wildlife viewing such as penguins.{{Cite web |last=Bizwire |first=Korea |title=Pengsoo Effect Being Felt in Travel Industry |url=http://koreabizwire.com/pengsoo-effect-being-felt-in-travel-industry/148856 |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=Be Korea-savvy |language=en-US}} Pengsoo was chosen as the "Animal of the year 2020". Pengsoo is one of the most influential penguins in South Korea currently. The official fandom name of Pengsoo is "Peng Club" (펭클럽).{{Cite web |title='100만 유튜버' 펭수 팬덤명은 '펭클럽'… "팬미팅 하고 싶습니다" |url=https://go.seoul.co.kr/news/newsView.php?id=20191128500180 |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=서울Pn |language=Korean}}

In 2019, Pengsoo beat BTS to become South Korea's "Person of the Year".{{cite news |last1=Gifford |first1=Storm |title=Penguin mascot Pengsoo voted South Korea's Person of the Year |work=New York Daily News |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/ny-20191215-qqinuxs6q5gbdjve4krikq3mai-story.html |accessdate=19 May 2020}}

Pengsoo has received attention from the South Korean government, and was 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.{{cite news |title=Penguin character Pengsu |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/PYH20191106099500315}}

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

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwQjzH0QQ3I Pengsoo COVID-19 cheering]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-rhqWpjVag Pengsoo's the right way to wash your hand]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bqE0NIHQwU Pengsoo Vote encouragement]

Pengsoo is credited with popularizing buzzwords like "눈치챙겨 [keep your wits], 엣헴엣헴 [ahem], 신이나 [it's fun/I'm having fun], 펭러뷰 [Peng(soo) loves you], 펭하 [Peng hi], 펭빠 [Peng bye]"{{Cite web|last=이|first=정현|date=2020-01-03|title='놀면 뭐하니' 펭수 연예대상 대기실서 '정체' 공개될까? 플린 김동준 관심도 수직↑|trans-title='How do you play' Is Pengsu going to reveal his identity in the waiting room of the entertainment award? Increased interest in Kim Dong-joon, YouTuber 'Flynn'.|url=http://www.nbntv.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=795703|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-09-25|website=내외경제TV|language=Korean}}

The Pengsoo character has a large variety of merchandise and has been licensed with multiple products. Pengsoo Mall, a website hosting many of Pengsoo's official products, has featured Pengsoo branded fashion, kitchen, bathroom, beauty, technology, and food products.{{Cite web |title=펭수몰 |url=https://www.pengsoomall.com/main/index.php |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=www.pengsoomall.com |archive-date=2022-10-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003233406/https://www.pengsoomall.com/main/index.php |url-status=dead }} Pengsoo has appeared on debit cards,{{Cite web |last=Young-won |first=Kim |date=2020-02-17 |title=KB Card launches debit card featuring Pengsoo |url=https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20200217000851 |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=The Korea Herald |language=en}} Companies who successfully secure licensing for the character saw increased stock trading activity and rising stock price in 2019,{{Cite web |date=2019-11-15 |title='Pengsoo' rocks Seoul bourse |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/biz/2022/08/175_278762.html |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=The Korea Times |language=en}} with the cost to win a bid to license the character being compared to the same cost to the rights to popular Disney characters.{{Cite web |date=2019-11-22 |title=Companies dying to cast 'Pengsoo' for ads |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/2022/08/419_279163.html |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=The Korea Times |language=en}} Pengsoo also made an appearance as a playable character in Nexon’s mobile game KartRider Rush+ since November 26, 2020. A digital sticker pack released on KakaoTalk featuring Pengsoo became a bestseller immediately upon release.

In March 2020, EBS announced an effort to legally target copyright infringements of Pengsoo.{{Cite web |last=Yuna |first=Park |date=2020-03-13 |title=EBS takes action to protect copyrights over Pengsoo |url=https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20200313000726 |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=The Korea Herald |language=en}}

• {{YouTube|c=UCtckgmUcpzqGnzcs7xEqMzQ|Giant PengTV}}
• {{instagram|giantpengsoo}}

Category:Anthropomorphic penguins

Category:Fictional penguins

Category:Penguin mascots

Category:Television mascots

Category:South Korean mascots

Category:South Korean YouTubers

Category:Mascots introduced in 2019

Category:Television characters introduced in 2019

Category:Korean-language YouTube channels