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Viral stories
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Viral stories
Trending events, happenings and people that have made waves on social media or online in wider Asia, and the world beyond.
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The Philippines
Soap opera in the sky: why Philippine Airlines’ safety video became a viral hit
The melodramatic Filipino teleserye-style video has racked up millions of views online by blending safety rules with storytelling.
9 Jan 2026 - 3:22PM
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Social media
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Viral video of bare hands in drinks gets milk tea shop closed
8 Jan 2026 - 9:04PM
Trending in China
Japan zoo makes workers mimic pandas after 4 bears return to China, launches fan club
8 Jan 2026 - 2:00PM
Japan
Japan insecticide firm holds memorial to honour bugs killed during product testing
Unusual 40-year-old tradition sees monk chant and employees pray for dead cockroaches, mites and fleas; critics find ceremony ‘ironic’.
6 Jan 2026 - 9:00AM
US-Venezuela conflict
Nike tracksuit worn by Maduro is selling out after viral photo
Global searches for the distinctive Nike grey hoodie and joggers spike after Venezuela’s leader is pictured in US custody.
6 Jan 2026 - 8:22AM
Fame and celebrity
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What is the relationship ‘swag gap’? Just ask Hailey and Justin Bieber
It’s been 2 years since the Biebers attended a Rhode beauty drop in wildly different outfits – and TikTok seems to think such ‘swag gaps’ are relationship deal-breakers.
5 Jan 2026 - 6:00PM
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Japan
Japan gamer, 12, plans to quit school for esports, backed by parents, sparks debate
Boy with capacity for focus far exceeding ordinary child aims for top of professional gaming; once concentrated on game so much, he wet himself.
5 Jan 2026 - 9:00AM
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South Korea
Korean professors fined for taking students’ tests to inflate scores, stop budget cuts
Teachers sat ‘key’ exams to keep poorly performing people at university amid school closure threats; one academic faces extortion bid.
4 Jan 2026 - 4:00PM
Malaysia
Inspirational one-armed Malaysian man works as food delivery rider to save for wedding
26-year-old suffered horrendous injuries after being dragged along road in an accident; shuns use of prosthetic arm as it causes too much pain.
3 Jan 2026 - 6:00PM
Mainland China
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Watch SCMP’s most watched viral videos of 2025
Watch SCMP’s most viewed viral videos of 2025.
30 Dec 2025 - 4:33PM
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Hong Kong
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Hikers scale steep slope in Hong Kong’s Ocean Park
Video apparently taken from a cable car at the attraction and shows hikers climbing down giant seahorse carved into Brick Hill.
29 Dec 2025 - 4:30PM
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Japan
‘I am dead’: Japan man posts posthumous social media message; many admire strength
Optimistic post appears 2 days after man dies following battle with rare cancer; death reveals new side of his personality to farmer father.
28 Dec 2025 - 9:00AM
Japan
Japan stabbing rampage leaves 15 injured at Yokohama rubber factory
Authorities confirm injuries after a weapon and ‘spray-like liquid’ attack. Local media report one man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
27 Dec 2025 - 1:47PM
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Thailand
Thailand rediscovers ‘extinct’ flat-headed cat after three decades
Elusive feline spotted with cub, offering hope for endangered species’ survival.
26 Dec 2025 - 6:08PM
Singapore
Gaffes, breaches and sinkhole stars: Singapore’s 2025 social storms
Passionate online discussions have revealed concerns about power, accountability and how the country sees itself.
25 Dec 2025 - 11:30AM
India
Indian doctor suspended, charged after allegedly assaulting patient
Dr Raghav Narula is accused of speaking disrespectfully to a patient at a hospital in Shimla, but has denied wrongdoing in the confrontation.
24 Dec 2025 - 7:35PM
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World of performing arts
Meet the Korean viral ‘dancing conductor’ who says he’s not actually dancing
Some conductors are visibly moved by the music, but Korean maestro Baek Yoon-hak takes that concept a step or two further.
24 Dec 2025 - 4:15PM
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Trending in China
Japanese tourist in China gets extreme kindness after car crash, changes perceptions
Amid Sino-Japanese tensions, woman describes treatment she received as ‘incredibly warm, genuine and professional’.
24 Dec 2025 - 2:00PM
Japan
Japan girl pop star comes out as transmasculine non-binary after breast removal
20-year-old rapper says being born, raised a woman caused her ‘deep discomfort’; hopes operation can ‘shine a light’, divides online opinion.
24 Dec 2025 - 9:46AM
Chinese Basketball Association
Pair arrested for faking AI video featuring China women’s basketball star Wang
Two 32-year-old suspects, surnamed Lin and Chen, detained over video using images and manipulated voice of Wang Siyu, head coach Gong Luming.
23 Dec 2025 - 5:30PM
Thailand
Bangkok puppy yoga studio offers comfort and stress relief for US$60 per session
Studio collaborates with local dog shelters and breeders, showcasing breeds such as Samoyeds, golden retrievers, and huskies.
21 Dec 2025 - 4:00PM
Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals
Hong Kong teaching hospital investigates staff over viral ‘water fight’ video
Queen Mary Hospital vows disciplinary action after staff caught on video using syringes as ‘water pistols’ inside a ward.
20 Dec 2025 - 9:37PM
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Japan
Japan social worker opens ‘It is OK to be useless’ bar to relieve daily pressure
Fish Akiko grew up with a chauvinistic father; she is determined not to replicate her mother’s sacrifices.
20 Dec 2025 - 6:00PM
Turkey
Turkish court rules man liking women’s posts may erode marital trust, prompts debate
Judges rule against husband who ogled at ‘seductive’ and ‘suggestive’ photos of women online; lawyers say actions may be grounds for divorce.
20 Dec 2025 - 2:00PM
United States
‘The wheels fell off’: Coldplay kiss cam woman breaks silence
Kristin Cabot shares the fallout, online hate, and life after her viral jumbotron embrace with ex-Astronomer CEO Andy Byron.
20 Dec 2025 - 12:00AM
Malaysia
‘Was he the Hulk?’: Malaysian officer goes viral after ripping off car door
The officer became an unlikely internet sensation when a dashcam video showed him ripping apart a suspect’s car door ‘like a banana leaf’.
19 Dec 2025 - 5:24PM
Japan
Japan city launches edible-looking boot souvenirs just like Taiwan braised pork rice
‘Mysterious’ footwear fashion item crafted to look identical to iconic dish takes culinary craftsmanship to a new level; includes ‘soft-boiled egg’.
19 Dec 2025 - 9:00AM
Malaysia
Paws for thought: Malaysian mall reverses pet-friendly policy after uproar
The reversal comes after videos of a dog being wheeled through the mall in a trolley stirred anger in the Muslim-majority country.
18 Dec 2025 - 7:08PM
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