A South Korean influencer’s mispronunciation of “Vaseline” as “Baseline” became a viral internet meme, stemming from linguistic differences. The brand Vaseline playfully embraced the trend, issuing a mock official statement temporarily rebranding to “Baseline” and jokingly appointing the influencer as CEO.
What started as a simple pronunciation slip by a South Korean influencer has turned into a viral internet moment, with Vaseline itself joining the joke. Influencer Min Day recently shared an Instagram video showing her collection of Vaseline products, but repeatedly pronounced the brand name as “Baseline.” The unusual pronunciation quickly caught viewers’ attention and turned into a social media meme.
Min Day’s video went on to cross 36 million views, as viewers began repeating “Baseline” in comments and posts. Rather than correcting the pronunciation, the skincare brand decided to embrace the unexpected internet trend with a tongue-in-cheek response.
Check the viral video here:
Why did the Korean influencer say ‘Baseline’?
The pronunciation was not simply a random mistake. In another video, Min Day explained that the way she pronounced “Vaseline” was linked to the difficulty of producing the English “V” sound in Korean, where it can sound closer to a “B”. Her explanation added context to the viral moment and helped the pronunciation gain even more attention online.
As the meme spread, social media users began referring to the petroleum jelly brand as “Baseline”. The joke eventually reached Vaseline, which chose to participate rather than distance itself from the trend.
Vaseline officially becomes ‘Baseline’ — for fun
In a playful social media post, Vaseline issued a mock “official statement”, announcing that it was embracing the internet’s version of its name.
The brand jokingly said that after an “extensive review”—which it clarified essentially meant watching one viral video—Vaseline was now “Baseline” with immediate effect. It also assured users that the product had not changed: the tub and jelly remained exactly the same, with only the first letter changing according to how the name was pronounced around the world.
The post then took a warmer turn. Vaseline noted that its name has been “pronounced, adapted, and made local” in different parts of the world for around 150 years, suggesting that accents and variations reflect how widely the product has travelled.
The brand also gave Min Day credit for the viral discovery and jokingly appointed her CEO of Baseline, saying she secured the position without even attending an interview.
Internet reacts to viral ‘Baseline’ trend
The brand’s unexpected response amused social media users, with several saying they never imagined “Baseline” would become part of their vocabulary in 2026. One person joked that “Baseline and Voroline” were not on their 2026 bingo card.
Others celebrated Min Day’s sudden rise to meme fame. One commenter called her the “Tok Tok girl” and congratulated the newly formed “Baseline community.” Another viewer found the entire exchange wholesome, reacting with laughing emojis and calling it “so cute.”
The episode has become a light-hearted example of how a small pronunciation difference can unexpectedly turn into a global social media trend—and how brands can use humour and audience participation to turn an internet meme into a memorable moment.