The Awkward Smiling Old Man meme, famously known as 'Hide the Pain Harold,' features Hungarian electrical engineer András Arató. The meme originated in 2011 from a series of stock photos where Arató’s smile appears pained and insincere, as if he is suppressing deep sadness or discomfort. After a user on Facepunch posted the images, the character quickly gained a cult following on Reddit and 4chan. Today, the meme is globally recognized as the ultimate symbol for situations where one must maintain a polite exterior while dealing with internal agony or awkwardness.