Koroks first appeared in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker in 2002 as the evolved forest spirits of Hyrule, recognisable by their wooden bodies and leaf masks. They returned prominently in Breath of the Wild in 2017, where hundreds are hidden across the map and reward Link with Korok Seeds when found. Their short movement and reaction sounds became familiar through hours of exploration, then spread into gameplay clips and edits online, where Zelda fans instantly associate the gentle shuffle with discovery and completion.