http://knowyourmeme.com/episode_icons/large/missing.png
17
Crayon Shin-chan (popular Japanese manga)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
http://knowyourmeme.com/episode_icons/medium/missing.png
http://knowyourmeme.com/system/icons/267/original/drownplayingdead.jpg?1242674290
7
http://knowyourmeme.com/system/icons/267/thumb/drownplayingdead.jpg?1242674290
http://knowyourmeme.com/episode_icons/small/missing.png
2009-05-18T19:18:13Z
http://knowyourmeme.com/system/icons/267/square/drownplayingdead.jpg?1242674290
confirmed
http://knowyourmeme.com/episode_icons/tiny/missing.png
non-english, international, participatory, group effort, crayon shin-chan, IRL, creepy, korea
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>
<head>
<meta content='text/html; utf-8' http-equiv='Content-Type' />
<meta name='keywords' content='non-english, international, participatory, group effort, crayon shin-chan, IRL, creepy, korea' />
<title>Playing Dead | Know Your Meme</title>
<link href='http://cdn0.knowyourmeme.com/stylesheets/mobile.css?1264901130' media='only screen and (max-device-width: 480px)' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' />
<script src="http://cdn2.knowyourmeme.com/javascripts/jquery.js?1264901130" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="http://cdn3.knowyourmeme.com/javascripts/jquery-ui.js?1264901130" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="http://cdn0.knowyourmeme.com/javascripts/jrails.js?1264901130" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="http://cdn0.knowyourmeme.com/javascripts/jquery.timeago.js?1264901130" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="http://cdn1.knowyourmeme.com/javascripts/application.js?1264901130" type="text/javascript"></script>
</head>
<body id='mobile'>
<div id='container'>
<div class='c' id='content'>
<div class='block c' id='entry_titlebar'>
<div class='left'>
<div class='c' id='entry_photo'><img alt="" class="thumbnail left" src="http://cdn3.knowyourmeme.com/system/icons/267/thumb/drownplayingdead.jpg?1242674290" title="Playing Dead" /></div>
<dl id='entry_details'>
<dt>Status</dt>
<dd>Confirmed</dd>
<dt>Origin</dt>
<dd>Crayon Shin-chan (popular Japanese manga)</dd>
<dt>Year</dt>
<dd>2003</dd>
</dl>
</div>
<div class='right'>
<h1>Playing Dead</h1>
<p class='desc'>
Playing Dead (시체놀이) is a mass-participatory photo meme that swept across South Korean lulz communities and social networking sites, beginning sometime in early 2003.
It’s okay guize. They’re not really dead.
The earliest origin of “playing dead” can be traced back to Crayon Shin-chan, a popular 90s Japanese manga by Yoshito Usui. In the series, Shin-chan (the main character) often plays a prank on his mother by pretending to be dead on the floor as she returns home from running errands. The manga became an international hit throughout the late nineties and in early 2003, group photos of S. Korean school pupils “playing dead” began to emerge on the web. Subsequently, the prank became a national meme throughout all demographics, from kindergartners and high school students to all sorts of people at work and housewives at home.
The main objective of playing dead is to display both comical and convincing sight of death by tactfully staging a disheveled pile of bodies within a given space; for example, I think this would be considered a good, classic example of “playing dead”:
Here’s a less stunning example of playing dead (they appear to be passed out or asleep rather than dead):
Due to its immense popularity, Playing Dead became one of the earliest memes to be documented by the Korean media. According to the newspapers, the term “playing dead” was first introduced to the mass audience through a popular comedy/variety show (aired in early 2003), during which Shin-Chan is cited as the source of origin. Upsurge in sales of digital cameras during the early 2000s also seems to have played a role in the rise of the meme.
Popular Japanese manga → Popular Korean variety show → Internet meme
Funny pics of people playing dead also have emerged in the English-speaking web on sites like playdeadpics.com, but it seems to exist as a niche interest at the most. It’s also interesting how this eccentric sport of “playing dead” developed into a group arts project within certain social networks, like the Flickr group featuring over 600 submissions as well as DeviantArt with over 2000 submissions.
It is difficult to strictly define the act of playing dead as an internet-born phenomenon; after all, possums are well known for playing dead in the presence of prey, and what’s scary, so are certain types of snakes. Even people resort to playing dead in life-threatening circumstances, like during epic battles and encounters with raging wild bears. But. It should be also noted that without the Internets, I would’ve never guessed that all these people were alive in the first place to play dead & take pictures of it. On that note, if you’ve got a pic of yourself looking pretty dead, feel free to share!…</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class='c' id='entry_content'>
<div class="block"><h1>About</h1>
<p><strong>Playing Dead (시체놀이)</strong> is a mass-participatory photo meme that swept across South Korean lulz communities and social networking sites, beginning sometime in early 2003.</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://knowyourmeme.com/i/30312/original/20080531_090037558975_0.jpg" alt="" /><br />
<strong>It’s okay guize. They’re not really dead.</strong></p>
<h1>Origin of Playing Dead</h1>
<p>The earliest origin of “playing dead” can be traced back to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crayon_Shin-chan">Crayon Shin-chan</a>, a popular 90s Japanese manga by Yoshito Usui. In the series, Shin-chan (the main character) often plays a prank on his mother by pretending to be dead on the floor as she returns home from running errands. The manga became an international hit throughout the late nineties and in early 2003, group photos of S. Korean school pupils “playing dead” began to emerge on the web. Subsequently, the prank became a national meme throughout all demographics, from kindergartners and high school students to all sorts of people at work and housewives at home.<br />
<br>
<p align="center"><img src="http://knowyourmeme.com/i/3597/original/shitai.gif?1245198962"></p></p>
<h1>How to Play Dead</h1>
<p>The main objective of playing dead is to display both comical and convincing sight of death by tactfully staging a disheveled pile of bodies within a given space; for example, I think this would be considered a good, classic example of “playing dead”:<br />
<br>
<p align="center"><img src="http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh404/hiiambradkim/goodexample.jpg"></p></p>
<p>Here’s a less stunning example of playing dead (they appear to be passed out or asleep rather than dead):<br></p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh404/hiiambradkim/badexample-1.jpg"></p>
<p><br></p>
<h1>A well-documented meme</h1>
<p>Due to its immense popularity, Playing Dead became one of the earliest memes to be documented by the Korean media. According to the newspapers, the term “playing dead” was first introduced to the mass audience through a popular comedy/variety show (aired in early 2003), during which Shin-Chan is cited as the source of origin. Upsurge in sales of digital cameras during the early 2000s also seems to have played a role in the rise of the meme.</p>
<p align="center">Popular Japanese manga → Popular Korean variety show → Internet meme</p>
<p><br></p>
<h1>Playing Dead in the West</h1>
<p>Funny pics of people playing dead also have emerged in the English-speaking web on sites like playdeadpics.com, but it seems to exist as a niche interest at the most. It’s also interesting how this eccentric sport of “playing dead” developed into a group arts project within certain social networks, like the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/mordered/">Flickr group</a> featuring over 600 submissions as well as <a href="http://browse.deviantart.com/? qh=&section=&q=playing+dead#catpath=photography&order=9&q=playing%20dead">DeviantArt</a> with over 2000 submissions.<br />
<p align="center"><img src="http://knowyourmeme.com/i/2827/original/playingdead.jpg" /></p><br />
<br></p>
</div><div class="block"><h1>Just 4 the Lulz? or More than a Meme?</h1>
<p>It is difficult to strictly define the act of playing dead as an internet-born phenomenon; after all, <a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2006/11/03/animals-that-play-de.html">possums are well known for playing dead</a> in the presence of prey, and what’s scary, so are certain types of snakes. Even people resort to playing dead in life-threatening circumstances, like during epic battles and encounters with raging wild bears. But. It should be also noted that without the Internets, I would’ve never guessed that all these people were alive in the first place to play dead & take pictures of it. On that note, if you’ve got a pic of yourself looking pretty dead, feel free to share!</p></div>
</div>
<div class='block' id='entry_footer'>
<h1>More Info</h1>
<div class='c'>
<a class='btn left' href='KYM://entry/photos' id='entry_photos'>
View Meme Images
<br />
<span># Total images</span>
</a>
<a class='btn right' href='KYM://entry/share' id='entry_share'>
Share
<br />
<span>Tell a friend!</span>
</a>
</div>
<p>
Author
<span>aaa</span>
</p>
<p>Updated xxxx</p>
</div>
<div class='block c' id='entry_nav'>
<a class='btn left' href='KYM://entry/prev' id='entry_nav_prev'>Prev Meme</a>
<a class='btn right' href='KYM://entry/next' id='entry_nav_next'>Next Meme</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Playing Dead
<h2>About</h2>
<p><strong>Playing Dead (시체놀이)</strong> is a mass-participatory photo meme that swept across South Korean lulz communities and social networking sites, beginning sometime in early 2003.</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://knowyourmeme.com/i/30312/original/20080531_090037558975_0.jpg" alt="" /><br />
<strong>It’s okay guize. They’re not really dead.</strong></p>
<h2>Origin of Playing Dead</h2>
<p>The earliest origin of “playing dead” can be traced back to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crayon_Shin-chan">Crayon Shin-chan</a>, a popular 90s Japanese manga by Yoshito Usui. In the series, Shin-chan (the main character) often plays a prank on his mother by pretending to be dead on the floor as she returns home from running errands. The manga became an international hit throughout the late nineties and in early 2003, group photos of S. Korean school pupils “playing dead” began to emerge on the web. Subsequently, the prank became a national meme throughout all demographics, from kindergartners and high school students to all sorts of people at work and housewives at home.<br />
<br>
<p align="center"><img src="http://knowyourmeme.com/i/3597/original/shitai.gif?1245198962"></p></p>
<h2>How to Play Dead</h2>
<p>The main objective of playing dead is to display both comical and convincing sight of death by tactfully staging a disheveled pile of bodies within a given space; for example, I think this would be considered a good, classic example of “playing dead”:<br />
<br>
<p align="center"><img src="http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh404/hiiambradkim/goodexample.jpg"></p></p>
<p>Here’s a less stunning example of playing dead (they appear to be passed out or asleep rather than dead):<br></p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh404/hiiambradkim/badexample-1.jpg"></p>
<p><br></p>
<h2>A well-documented meme</h2>
<p>Due to its immense popularity, Playing Dead became one of the earliest memes to be documented by the Korean media. According to the newspapers, the term “playing dead” was first introduced to the mass audience through a popular comedy/variety show (aired in early 2003), during which Shin-Chan is cited as the source of origin. Upsurge in sales of digital cameras during the early 2000s also seems to have played a role in the rise of the meme.</p>
<p align="center">Popular Japanese manga → Popular Korean variety show → Internet meme</p>
<p><br></p>
<h2>Playing Dead in the West</h2>
<p>Funny pics of people playing dead also have emerged in the English-speaking web on sites like playdeadpics.com, but it seems to exist as a niche interest at the most. It’s also interesting how this eccentric sport of “playing dead” developed into a group arts project within certain social networks, like the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/mordered/">Flickr group</a> featuring over 600 submissions as well as <a href="http://browse.deviantart.com/? qh=&section=&q=playing+dead#catpath=photography&order=9&q=playing%20dead">DeviantArt</a> with over 2000 submissions.<br />
<p align="center"><img src="http://knowyourmeme.com/i/2827/original/playingdead.jpg" /></p><br />
<br></p>
<h2>Just 4 the Lulz? or More than a Meme?</h2>
<p>It is difficult to strictly define the act of playing dead as an internet-born phenomenon; after all, <a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2006/11/03/animals-that-play-de.html">possums are well known for playing dead</a> in the presence of prey, and what’s scary, so are certain types of snakes. Even people resort to playing dead in life-threatening circumstances, like during epic battles and encounters with raging wild bears. But. It should be also noted that without the Internets, I would’ve never guessed that all these people were alive in the first place to play dead & take pictures of it. On that note, if you’ve got a pic of yourself looking pretty dead, feel free to share!</p>
2003
12/11/2009 Brad K wrote:
I bumped this article up to feature section; precedent of lying down game, which has been also confirmed.
2010-01-30T21:44:31Z
267
21