On the 8th, posts about Baskin-Robbins’ “Lucky Vicky Mochi,” launched before college entrance exams, appeared on online communities and social media.
Baskin-Robbins introduced the “Lucky Vicky Mochi” as “a mochi with four cute heart-shaped, four-leaf clover-shaped mochi” and described it as “a perfect gift for exam candidates, with a letter written to hand and a glossy four-leaf clover included.”
However, the name of the product, “Lucky Vicky Mochi”, has become a subject of controversy.
“Lucky Vicky” originates from a phrase coined by IVE’s Jang Wonyoung, combining “Lucky” with her English name “Vicky”. Jang Wonyoung had shared a story with fans saying“I had such a delicious scone yesterday, and of course, because I’m Lucky Vicky, I arrived at the shop just as a new batch of hot scones came out.”
The phrase later became part of the “Wonyoung Thinking” meme, which arose from a clip in IVE content in which Jang Wonyoung expressed her joy at receiving freshly baked bread because the person in front of her had bought the last one.
The term quickly spread beyond the fandom and became a social trend after a fan posted about it on X (formerly Twitter) in March. Both “Wonyoung Thinking” and “Lucky Vicky” have since been widely used on various broadcasts, social media platforms and YouTube.
Recently, Dongseo Foods also used “Lucky Mite” in its hot chocolate advertisement.
However, opinions on the product name are mixed. A fan who popularized the meme expressed his frustration about X, saying: “Once it becomes a meme, it’s natural to see it used everywhere, and since it originated from its name, it’s fine for it to be used in marketing, but it’s really upsetting when a company like ‘SPC’, known for poor marketing practices work, uses his name as the name of the product without any sense of decency.”
Netizens also expressed their disappointment, saying things like: “He is not Lucky Mochi and Vicky is his English name. Why use it here?” and “It’s not appropriate for a product name… Surprisingly there is a lack of copyright awareness among people working in marketing and product development. They need copyright training during orientation ” and “They use someone’s name without permission. Jang Wonyoung should be paid for it.”
Previously, GS Convenience Store faced a similar backlash after announcing a recipe for “Idol Bilmayo Sesame Oil Buckwheat Noodles” inspired by BTS’ Jungkook’s recipe, ultimately deciding to reconsider the product.
