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Viral stories

Viral stories
Trending events, happenings and people that have made waves on social media or online in wider Asia, and the world beyond.
Watch SCMP’s most watched viral videos of 2025
Mainland China

Video | Watch SCMP’s most watched viral videos of 2025

Watch SCMP’s most viewed viral videos of 2025.

Hong Kong

Video | Hikers scale steep slope in Hong Kong’s Ocean Park

Japan

‘I am dead’: Japan man posts posthumous social media message; many admire strength

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.

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The area near the entrance to Yokohama Rubber factory, where multiple people were stabbed. Photo: Kyodo
Thailand

Thailand rediscovers ‘extinct’ flat-headed cat after three decades

Elusive feline spotted with cub, offering hope for endangered species’ survival.

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.

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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.

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Screenshot from a video filmed by an attendant at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital on Monday showing a masked doctor punching a man lying on a bed. Photo: X
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.

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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’.

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.

A member of the Xtraordinary Girls J-pop group has announced her identification as transmasculine non-binary after undergoing breast removal surgery, sparking a mixed online reaction. Photo: SCMP composite/X.com/IG@cocona_xg
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.

In the fake video, the manipulated image of Wang Siyu (left) claims to have carried China during the 2025 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup. Photo: Getty Images
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.

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.

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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.

A Japanese social worker opened a daytime bar nicknamed “It Is OK to Be Useless”, providing a supportive space for people seeking relief from Japan’s productivity pressures. Photo: SCMP composite/musicbird.jp/IG@hirusuna_nakasu
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.

A court in Turkey has ruled that a husband who repeatedly liked social media posts from other women could be undermining trust within his marriage, and his actions might be grounds for divorce. Photo: Shutterstock
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.

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’.

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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’.

A Japanese city has launched wearable boots which resemble the iconic Taiwan-style braised pork rice dish. Photo: SCMP composite/Taobao/rakuten.co.jp
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.

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Asian Games 2023

China star Wang Li afraid to return home, fears retaliation against family

The Yunnan Provincial Sports Bureau is investigating accusations triple Asian Games gold medallist made against coach.

South Korea

Viral golden logo find turns old AC units into hot property in South Korea

A YouTube video revealing a pure gold logo on certain LG air conditioners has sparked a nationwide hunt for the 20-year-old units.

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A gold shop owner examines gold letters taken from an LG air conditioner. Photo: YouTube/Ringring Unnie
Trending in China

China tourist in Japan sends 300 masks during Covid to host after overnight stay

Against backdrop of ongoing political tensions between the two countries, this heartwarming story quickly went viral on social media.

A recent episode of a Japanese variety show featured a touching story of friendship between a Chinese tourist and a Japanese local resident. Photo: SCMP composite/QQ.com/matcha-jp.com
Food and Drinks

Mouthing Off | American cuisine better than Vietnamese, Korean? New ‘best’ list stirs tempers

The ‘100 Best Cuisines in the World’ list from TasteAtlas is angering people with its contentious food rankings. Singapore at number 90?

Asian Games 2023

China star posts explosive account of verbal, physical abuse after Games gold

Triple Asian Games champion Wang Li goes viral after video outlines sustained bullying after she refused to give Hangzhou winnings to boss.

Art

Labubu’s growth from books to viral doll craze shown in Hong Kong exhibition

A touring exhibition celebrating Lung Ka-sing’s The Monsters, which birthed the popular Labubu, has come to Hong Kong.

Part of the “Interactive Zone” which is part of the MONSTERS BY MONSTERS: NOW AND THEN exhibition at the Asia Society Hong Kong Centre
Malaysia

Malaysian religious authorities probe viral claim of woman having ‘2 husbands’

The allegation has renewed focus on cross-border marriages between Malaysia and southern Thailand that are used to bypass domestic approvals.

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Images shared on social media purporting to show a couple seated before religious officials, which were cited in a Facebook post alleging a woman had married a second man in Thailand. The claims are under investigation by Malaysian religious authorities. Photo: Facebook / Ekin Derahim
Trending in China

Japan husband has 520 affairs, wife turns loveless marriage into comic, goes viral in China

Wife who looks after son with extremely rare illness alone turns man’s infidelity with escort girls, porn actresses into manga art.

Trending in China

Korean husband sues wife for ‘malicious abandonment’ after refusal to donate liver

Ruling highlights husband’s coercive behaviour and verbal abuse, making him primarily accountable for relationship’s deterioration.

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