Pepe the Frog was created by artist Matt Furie in 2005 as part of his comic series "Boy's Club." Initially intended as a laid-back and chill character, Pepe gained widespread internet popularity and became a popular meme in various online communities. However, over time, Pepe's image was appropriated by various groups for different purposes, some of which were controversial or associated with hate symbols. Despite efforts by Furie and others to reclaim Pepe's original meaning, the character's image remains widely used in internet culture with various connotations.