[MZ I Mal - This Means] That Department's Newbie, The So-Called 'Malgnungwang'

"You know the new recruit who just joined the marketing department? That person is totally a Malnnungwang, right?"

Recently, the term 'Malnnungwang (Malgeun Nun-ui Gwangin)' has been frequently used among office workers. 'Malnnungwang' is an abbreviation of 'Malgeun Nun-ui Gwangin,' meaning a person whose eyes look pure and clear but somehow emit a subtle madness.

Big, round eyes wide open, but you can't tell what kind of feelings are inside

The clear-eyed Kwang wearing AirPods while working in the MZ Office of SNL Korea.
[Photo by SNL Korea capture]

The word 'Malnnungwang' started around 2020 when a Twitter user first used it, but currently, the representative images are Yangpakungyang’s big, round eyes and Kim Ah-young, a new employee in Coupang Play’s SNL Korea-MZ Office. Additionally, there are Ahn Yoo-jin from the group IVE who appeared on tvN variety show Earth Entertainment Room, and Maverick’s eyes from the movie Top Gun: Maverick.

The characteristic of a Malnnungwang is having bright, clear eyes that might look innocent at first glance, but their gaze is so intense that you cannot tell what they are thinking. For example, when a boss is talking, they might be thinking something else inside, or they might have already read the opponent’s moves and are preparing a counterattack without showing it.

Another trait is responding shamelessly and confidently to the boss’s words. In SNL Korea-MZ Office, when the boss pointed out that new employee Kim Ah-young was working while wearing AirPods, she replied, "Wearing AirPods improves work efficiency," and "It gives me a sense of stability." She wears AirPods during work hours, listens only to what she wants to hear, and sits closest to the utensil container in the cafeteria but stubbornly refuses to move.

The 'Malnnungwang' you only heard about... the older generation gets flustered when facing them

Older generation office workers, who have been in the workforce for years or decades, often show signs of being flustered by Malnnungwangs. Various online communities frequently post sightings like "A Malnnungwang appeared in our company."

They express doubts about the behavior of some MZ generation new employees who have just started their social lives. They also complain, saying, "I don’t know if I’m a kkon-dae (old-fashioned person) or not," expressing their frustration.

Recently, an anonymous post titled "The youngest employee who presses a heart instead of replying to the boss’s KakaoTalk message" appeared on a workplace community. The author described, "There is a clueless youngest employee. It feels like the Malgeun Nun-ui Gwangin character from Coupang Play’s SNL Korea MZ Office, but with a weak spirit."

Netizens responded, "Isn’t it like an Instagram 'like'?" and "Is it bad to press a heart?" However, some criticized the youngest employee, emphasizing the importance of replying, saying, "If you only send hearts without replying, it’s a matter of etiquette."

Another poster wrote a post titled 'Legendary New Employee.' Presumed to work at a college entrance exam academy, the author wrote, "Today, a new employee who just started work was in the restroom and when I asked where they went, they said, 'That’s my private life, so don’t ask,' and threatened to report me to the Labor Office." The author added, "I didn’t know during the interview, but they are a 'Malgeun Nun-ui Gwangin.'"

The older generation finds the reactions of some MZ generation who value personal life and choices absurd. Not only the older generation but even some MZ generation members find it hard to understand Malnnungwang’s behavior. A company worker A, who has been employed for three years, said, "Wearing earphones in a company where communication is important is not something I can understand logically."

"So what if they’re a Malnnungwang? As long as they work well, that’s enough"

Clear Eye Test [Photo by Pumang]

There are also opinions that social criticism of 'Malnnungwang' is excessive. Company worker B, who recently joined, said, "Nowadays, there are KakaoTalk and company messengers," and "As long as you work well, it’s fine. Also, since they treat others with bright, round eyes, there is less chance of harsh words, insults, or personal attacks, which helps maintain relationships."

In fact, the perception of 'Malnnungwang' is not entirely negative. The term is digested as a meme and used as a topic for communication.

Last January, the original Malnnungwang Yangpakungya, who originated from an emoticon, ranked first in the 'Most Gifted Emoticons' category within a day. Especially, it was most chosen by consumers in their teens and twenties. Also, parody videos imitating the speech and behavior of 'Malnnungwang' have appeared, and ways to deal with Malnnungwang have also gained popularity.

A test to check whether you are a Malnnungwang or not has also been released. According to the 'Malnnungwang Test' created by the psychological test platform Poomang, by selecting answers to questions according to your preferences, you can find out what kind of 'mad person' you are.

Netizens who saw this responded, "It says I’m the type who wears a social mask well, which seems accurate," and "I was surprised because the test results were similar to what I thought at work yesterday."