Patricia CaleonThe Internet’s beloved meme, Hide the Pain Harold, has made his way to Singapore. 79-year-old Hungarian engineer Andras Istvan Arato, a.k.a the man behind the meme, is attending the prestigious Token 2049 cryptocurrency conference at Marina Bay Sands.
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Is ‘Hide the Pain’ Harold really in pain?
Image credit: imgflip
Known for his signature pained smile that took the Internet by storm, Andras has quickly become a global phenomenon, thanks to his viral stock photos. His meme-worthy expressions have been used to convey a range of emotions, from frustration to sarcasm to disappointment.
On 18 Sep, Andras took to Instagram to share a photo of himself smiling in front of the Marina Bay Sands. “What a night!!!,” he writes on his Instagram post. You can also see a glimpse of a cup he’s holding with a sticker of his face on it. Fans from around the world expressed their excitement at seeing the meme legend come to Singapore.
Image credit: Hide the Pain Harold | Official Instagram
Initially, Andras disliked being turned into a meme according to an interview in 2019. He has intended for his stock photos to be used professionally, not for funny captions and painful situations. However, he eventually came around to embracing his meme celebrity status. Since then, he has appeared in commercials, talkshows, and travelled the world for conferences and lectures.
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Despite his online persona, Andras clarifies that he’s actually a happy person in real life.
Featured image credit: imgflip
