The "Surprised Koala" meme features a real photograph of a koala caught mid-chew with a eucalyptus leaf hanging from its mouth, eyes wide in a clear expression of shock. The image gained popularity online as an exploitable reaction image, first surfacing around 2012. It is primarily used to convey a sense of sudden surprise, disbelief, or being utterly caught off guard by unexpected news, a plot twist, or an inconvenient truth. People often use it to represent the moment of realizing something profound or being interrupted while doing something mundane. Its humorous application highlights relatable moments of unexpected revelations.