I’ve just learned about the history of Pepe the Frog and I’m truly captivated by this story. At first, it was simply an ordinary comic character drawn by artist Matt Furie in 2005—a cool, stoic pepe frog with funny lines like “feeling good.” Who would have thought this image would become a massive meme phenomenon on the internet?

What’s great here is that Pepe has evolved into a versatile symbol. It shows up everywhere—from sadness and irony to absurdity—so every emotion can be expressed through this Pepe frog. The image spread quickly across forums and social media, becoming a way for online communities to communicate with one another.

But then things got more complicated. Around 2015, some extremist groups online hijacked the Pepe frog image, linking it to hate speech and extremist ideas. Furie must have felt very disappointed to see his work abused in this way. He decided to step up, partnering with organizations that fight defamation to restore the character’s image.

Despite the controversies, Pepe remains a beloved part of internet culture. Furie’s efforts to reclaim Pepe as a positive symbol have paid off. This story shows that the internet has extraordinary power to create, transform, and even blur—if not erase—cultural icons. From a little-known comic character, the pepe frog has become a vivid proof of that.