The man considered to be the father of internet memes, 'Hide the Pain Harold', paid a visit to the Belgian capital this week, to the great excitement of local fans.
Retired Hungarian electrical engineer András István Arató became an internet meme sensation in 2011 and was dubbed 'Hide the Pain Harold' due to his facial expressions in photos and slightly pained smile.
On Tuesday evening, he posted a picture of himself on Brussels' iconic square, Grand Place, on his official Facebook account with a caption reading "Hello Brussels" and the same pained look in his eyes that made him so famous.
The photo received some 11,000 'likes' and many fans welcomed him to the Belgian capital in the comments section, inviting him to enjoy the country's famous beers. Others suggested he pay a visit to other Belgian cities such as Bruges and Leuven.
It was Arató's career as a model for stock images, which he did to earn a side income, that made him world-famous. The photographer who took his stock photos had asked him to smile, but this was perceived by many as a face that masked sorrow, ultimately giving him the internet name of 'Hide the Pain Harold'.
Credit: Hide the Pain Harold
The most famous picture of him shows him in front of a laptop with a cup of coffee in hand, which is still used in memes to this day.
Arató was even invited to the EU headquarters by the European Commission Social Media Team, who noted that a cup of coffee and a laptop were waiting for him. However, the invite was declined as he was already on his way home. "But next time, we will live up to the invitation," Arató responded.
