On the 8th, posts about Baskin-Robbins’ “Lucky Vicky Mochi,” which was launched ahead of the 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 mochis, shaped like a four-leaf clover” and described it as “a perfect gift for exam candidates, with a hand-written letter and a coated four-leaf clover included.”
However, the name of the product, “Lucky Vicky Mochi,” became a topic of controversy.
“Lucky Vicky” originated 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 ate such a delicious scone yesterday, and of course, since I’m Lucky Vicky, I got to the shop just as a fresh batch of warm scones came out.”
The phrase later became part of the “Wonyoung Thinking” meme, born from a clip in IVE’s content where Jang Wonyoung expressed her joy at getting freshly baked bread because the person ahead of her had bought the last one.
The term quickly spread beyond the fandom and became a societal trend after a fan posted about it on X (formerly Twitter) in March. Both “Wonyoung Thinking” and “Lucky Vicky” have since been used widely across various broadcasts, social media platforms, and YouTube.
Recently, Dongseo Foods also used “Lucky Mite” in their hot chocolate advertisement.
However, opinions about the product name have been mixed. One fan who had popularized the meme expressed their frustration on X, saying, “Once it becomes a meme, it’s natural to see it used everywhere, and since it originated from her name, it’s fine for it to be used in marketing, but it’s really upsetting when a company like ‘SPC,’ known for poor labor practices, uses her name as the product name without any sense of decency.”
Netizens have expressed their displeasure as well, saying things like, “It’s not Lucky Mochi, and Vicky is her English name. Why use it here?” and “It’s not appropriate for a product name… There’s surprisingly a lack of copyright awareness among people working in marketing and product development. They need copyright training during orientation,” and “They’re using someone’s name without permission. Jang Wonyoung should be paid for this.”
In the end, the “Lucky Vicky Mochi” was discontinued on the 9th, just one day after the controversy. This is interpreted as a result of the public backlash immediately following its release.
However, there has been no action taken in relation to this, such as an an apology statement. As a result, criticism continues to mount against the large franchise
Previously, GS Convenience Store faced similar backlash after announcing a recipe for “Idol Bilmayo Sesame Oil Buckwheat Noodles” inspired by BTS’s Jungkook’s recipe, eventually deciding to reconsider the product.
Source: Nate
