They say memes are the currency of today’s digital world, and Singapore has unwittingly been cashing in on that. In recent years, many posts and clips that are of Singaporean origin or feature Singaporeans have made their mark on the global stage online.
This National Day, we take a look back at the viral moments that’ll make you say, “This is home truly”.
In 2024, TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi testified before the US Congress during a session on the dangers children face on social media platforms. The hearing saw Tom Cotton, a senator from Arkansas, repeatedly asking Chew about the latter’s citizenship, even asking if he was a member of the Chinese Communist Party.
Chew, a Singaporean, kept emphasising his citizenship, leading to the now-famous declaration: “Senator, I’m Singaporean.”
Clips of the hearing fetched millions of views worldwide, with many praising Chew’s composure. His iconic phrase has since become the go-to tongue-in-cheek response for users to retort to wrong assumptions.
Over the years, Singaporean model Chuando Tan has gone viral numerous times for his age-defying looks. That said, it’s fair to say that his celebration post for his 60th birthday has cemented its place in Singapore's history.
In March 2026, Tan uploaded a series of photos of himself with balloons of the numbers six and zero. The post quickly went viral around the world, with netizens in collective disbelief over his age – with many assuming that Tan was lying.
Tan’s post has since garnered over three million likes, with comments from the likes of American comedian Tiffany Haddish and Ukrainian singer Vera Brezhneva. It also sparked countless posts and articles from accounts and publications around the world, including South China Morning Post, E! News and Pulse Nigeria.
In early 2026, an advisory on love scams by the former Hougang Neighbourhood Police Centre (now Serangoon Neighbourhood Police Centre) went viral worldwide as viewers were transfixed by its twists and turns. Well, that and ASP Benjamin Cheah’s good looks.
The video has snagged over eight million views on Instagram alone and made waves on global platforms like Reddit. Among the video’s fans are actor Andie Chen and Emmy Award-winning American media personality Bobby Berk, who commented: "I did it, officer. Take me in."
The video has even inspired recreations overseas, including one from Taiwan, which was praised by Cheah himself.
The longest-running television programme in Singapore, the crime docu-drama series Crimewatch celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026, and over the years, it's become a goldmine for memes. Who can forget the iconic line: "Melvin is no name for a gang member!"?
Two Crimewatch clips in particular have transcended local grounds to become TikTok legends.
The first clip shows the aftermath of a theft, followed by quick cuts to the victim’s panicked face as the narrator says: “The woman was too stunned to speak.”
The narration has since become one of the most popular TikTok audios, used in videos exaggerating moments of disbelief.
The second viral Crimewatch clip is of two teenagers, played by actresses Jernelle Oh and Shanice Koh, getting into an argument that escalates to Oh’s character yelling: “You’re nothing but a prostitute.”
Similarly, the audio of Oh’s line is now a mainstay on TikTok – also used humorously to poke fun at other users.
It was 2014. As the world tuned in to the 20th FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the National Council on Problem Gambling seized the moment with an anti-gambling advertisement. In it, a young boy named Andy forlornly tells his friends that his father had bet away Andy’s savings on Germany winning the tournament.
An impactful message for sure.
The only problem: Germany ended up winning the World Cup, so Andy’s father would have made loads of money, rendering the ad’s original messaging moot.
The ad’s own goal became so infamous that it was even parodied in an episode of the satirical talk show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, showing Andy’s father successfully betting on various pop culture and sporting events that year.
Singaporean audio company Creative Technology has built a global reputation for its audio products. But it also has a surprising claim to fame: inadvertently creating one of the internet’s earliest viral videos.
In the early 2000s, Creative employee Paul Seow starred in a product video demonstrating the company’s new Prodikeys – a keyboard that combines QERTY and MIDI keyboards.
In the video, Seow slowly shows off the keyboard’s features before unexpectedly launching into an intense drum solo.
The video first went viral through online forums and over the years, it has seen many periods of resurgence on YouTube and Facebook.
It became so popular and iconic that it even ended up being sampled in the song Super Rich Kids by American rapper Frank Ocean.
Anyone who has spent even a little time on the internet has likely seen the iconic clip of Michael Jackson gently lowering a soldier’s rifle during a live performance of Earth Song.
The clip has since become one of the most enduring reaction GIFs, especially on X, where users frequently deploy it to dismiss or shut down a statement.
Peep a little closer and you’ll realise its Singaporean origin, with the unmistakable old logo of Mediacorp’s Channel 5 at the top right corner.
Continue reading...
This National Day, we take a look back at the viral moments that’ll make you say, “This is home truly”.
1. TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi gets questioned by US senator
In 2024, TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi testified before the US Congress during a session on the dangers children face on social media platforms. The hearing saw Tom Cotton, a senator from Arkansas, repeatedly asking Chew about the latter’s citizenship, even asking if he was a member of the Chinese Communist Party.
Chew, a Singaporean, kept emphasising his citizenship, leading to the now-famous declaration: “Senator, I’m Singaporean.”
Clips of the hearing fetched millions of views worldwide, with many praising Chew’s composure. His iconic phrase has since become the go-to tongue-in-cheek response for users to retort to wrong assumptions.
2. Model Chuando Tan celebrates his 60th birthday
Over the years, Singaporean model Chuando Tan has gone viral numerous times for his age-defying looks. That said, it’s fair to say that his celebration post for his 60th birthday has cemented its place in Singapore's history.
In March 2026, Tan uploaded a series of photos of himself with balloons of the numbers six and zero. The post quickly went viral around the world, with netizens in collective disbelief over his age – with many assuming that Tan was lying.
Tan’s post has since garnered over three million likes, with comments from the likes of American comedian Tiffany Haddish and Ukrainian singer Vera Brezhneva. It also sparked countless posts and articles from accounts and publications around the world, including South China Morning Post, E! News and Pulse Nigeria.
3. SPF’s love scam advisory catches viewers off guard
In early 2026, an advisory on love scams by the former Hougang Neighbourhood Police Centre (now Serangoon Neighbourhood Police Centre) went viral worldwide as viewers were transfixed by its twists and turns. Well, that and ASP Benjamin Cheah’s good looks.
The video has snagged over eight million views on Instagram alone and made waves on global platforms like Reddit. Among the video’s fans are actor Andie Chen and Emmy Award-winning American media personality Bobby Berk, who commented: "I did it, officer. Take me in."
The video has even inspired recreations overseas, including one from Taiwan, which was praised by Cheah himself.
4. Crimewatch clips become TikTok mainstays
The longest-running television programme in Singapore, the crime docu-drama series Crimewatch celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026, and over the years, it's become a goldmine for memes. Who can forget the iconic line: "Melvin is no name for a gang member!"?
Two Crimewatch clips in particular have transcended local grounds to become TikTok legends.
The first clip shows the aftermath of a theft, followed by quick cuts to the victim’s panicked face as the narrator says: “The woman was too stunned to speak.”
The narration has since become one of the most popular TikTok audios, used in videos exaggerating moments of disbelief.
The second viral Crimewatch clip is of two teenagers, played by actresses Jernelle Oh and Shanice Koh, getting into an argument that escalates to Oh’s character yelling: “You’re nothing but a prostitute.”
Similarly, the audio of Oh’s line is now a mainstay on TikTok – also used humorously to poke fun at other users.
5. An anti-gambling ad predicts the World Cup winner
It was 2014. As the world tuned in to the 20th FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the National Council on Problem Gambling seized the moment with an anti-gambling advertisement. In it, a young boy named Andy forlornly tells his friends that his father had bet away Andy’s savings on Germany winning the tournament.
An impactful message for sure.
The only problem: Germany ended up winning the World Cup, so Andy’s father would have made loads of money, rendering the ad’s original messaging moot.
The ad’s own goal became so infamous that it was even parodied in an episode of the satirical talk show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, showing Andy’s father successfully betting on various pop culture and sporting events that year.
6. A product demonstration by Creative becomes one of the first-ever viral videos
Singaporean audio company Creative Technology has built a global reputation for its audio products. But it also has a surprising claim to fame: inadvertently creating one of the internet’s earliest viral videos.
In the early 2000s, Creative employee Paul Seow starred in a product video demonstrating the company’s new Prodikeys – a keyboard that combines QERTY and MIDI keyboards.
In the video, Seow slowly shows off the keyboard’s features before unexpectedly launching into an intense drum solo.
The video first went viral through online forums and over the years, it has seen many periods of resurgence on YouTube and Facebook.
It became so popular and iconic that it even ended up being sampled in the song Super Rich Kids by American rapper Frank Ocean.
7. A Channel 5 broadcast of Michael Jackson becomes one of the most recognisable GIFs of all time
Anyone who has spent even a little time on the internet has likely seen the iconic clip of Michael Jackson gently lowering a soldier’s rifle during a live performance of Earth Song.
The clip has since become one of the most enduring reaction GIFs, especially on X, where users frequently deploy it to dismiss or shut down a statement.
Peep a little closer and you’ll realise its Singaporean origin, with the unmistakable old logo of Mediacorp’s Channel 5 at the top right corner.
Continue reading...