Friendzone Johnny represents the quintessential struggle of being stuck in the 'friend zone.' The meme typically features a character who goes above and beyond for a romantic interest, only to be met with the dreaded 'you're like a brother to me' line. It gained popularity across social media platforms like Reddit and 9GAG as a way for users to vent about their romantic misadventures through humor. The character serves as a sympathetic yet comedic figure, highlighting the awkwardness and disappointment that comes with one-sided affection and the common 'nice guy' tropes often found in internet culture.