The 'I'm Just a Chill Guy' Meme: Where Did It Come From and What Does It Mean?

TikTok has experienced a new wave of I'm Just a Chill Guy memes that show the casual anthropomorphic dog who used to be called My New Character.

The I'm Just a Chill Guy meme features an anthropomorphic dog character who is typically depicted with the catchphrase "I'm just a chill guy." The character was originally created by artist Phillip Banks in October 2023, and it quickly gained popularity on TikTok in 2024.

The Chill Guy meme is typically used to express a sense of nonchalance or indifference. It can also be used to poke fun at someone who is trying to act tough or cool.

The original artwork by Banks depicts the Chill Guy as a brown dog wearing a gray sweater, blue jeans, and red sneakers. He is smirking at the viewer and has a laid-back expression.

The character's catchphrase, "I'm just a chill guy," is taken from a TikTok edit by user @abnormalpenguin2. The edit features the Chill Guy set to piano music with an AI-generated voice saying, "I know I'm supposed to be a chill guy …"

The edit inspired other users to add their own captions and music to the Chill Guy, ultimately leading to the current use of the phrasal template.

The most common background used in the Chill Guy memes is a serene field of dandelions with leaves falling. The background is taken from a different edit by TikToker @xssume.

There are also several copypastas that use the words from TikToker @abnormalpenguin2's edit. One of the most popular copypastas is:

An alternate Chill Guy copypasta uses a soundbite from the TV show Dexter in which the main character Dexter Morgan says:

The original Chill Guy meme using the abovementioned copypasta was posted by TikToker @xssume. It's the reason why one might hear, "They make it look so easy," and immediately think of the lowkey doggie.

The song used in most Chill Guy memes is "Hinoki Wood" by Gia Margaret. Its usage began with TikToker @abnormalpenguin2's edit which spawned the original TikTok sound.

There is also a new "meme coin" on the Pump.fun crypto market that centers on the Chill Guy. It's called $CHILLGUY.

For those who are confused, a "meme coin" is a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin that uses the recognizability of a meme to boost its potential investment.

Here's a PNG template of the Chill Guy dog that you can add over any background in your meme. For viral results, use this TikTok sound and share your photo in a slideshow.