Top 10 viral stories of 2016
Yahoo Singapore takes a look back at some of the best stories that went viral this year.
Photo: Screengrab from SPCA Facebook
10. High-rise SPCA kitten rescue
In this local feel-good story, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) rescued a kitten which had jumped out on the ledge of a 12th-storey apartment. The 54-second hair-raising video, which was posted by SPCA on its Facebook, was viewed more than one million times.
9. Donald Trump’s granddaughter reads Chinese poetry
Coverage of the US presidential campaign was not always kind to Donald Trump. But less than a week after he won the US Elections, an Instagram video of his granddaughter Arabella Kushner garnered much praise from Chinese netizens. The video shows 5-year-old Arabella reciting lines from classical poems in Mandarin while wearing a traditional Chinese blouse. The adorable performance was recorded in February for the Lunar New Year, but came in the news much later.
8. Killer clown craze
First reported in the United States, the killer clown scare prank went viral almost instantly, with ‘killer clowns’ being spotted all around the world, even in our own backyard.
Dressed in creepy clown outfits, and sometimes carrying a knife, the pranksters would stand by the roadside, or follow unsuspecting individuals in dark alleys. As many of these pranksters targeted children and the elderly, the prank wasn’t well received. A costume company in England even deployed a ‘vigilante’ dressed as Batman to chase off these clowns.
7. Shiny legs optical illusion
After the blue or gold dress from 2015, another confounding visual made headlines this year. An Instagram post of a woman’s legs went viral as netizens tried to answer the question: are those actual legs or that of a mannequin? At first glance, the legs appeared to be made of shiny plastic, but of course, it was just an optical illusion created by the strategic application of some white cream or paint.
6. Olympic Games’ most unassuming medal winner
Chinese Olympic swimmer Fu Yuanhui became an Internet sensation thanks to her funny facial expressions and humble nature. She wasn’t aware that she had won a bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke race until after a reporter told her about it. Her priceless reaction made the video go viral.
5. Mannequin challenge
In the mannequin challenge, participants try to remain completely still while a video is being recorded. The trend gained hype on the Internet after celebrities and organisations jumped on the bandwagon. One notable example was the video of America’s First Lady Michelle Obama doing the challenge with the Cleveland Cavaliers when the team was invited to the White House after winning the 2016 NBA Championships.
4. Iguana being chased by snakes
This video of an iguana finding itself right in the middle of hordes of snakes was widely shared on social media in early November. BBC’s Planet Earth II shot the two-minute video of an iguana running for its life as snakes chase it from all sides. The music contributes greatly to the thrill and suspense.
3. Melania Trump’s speech similarities with Michelle Obama’s
It’s a tradition for a presidential hopeful’s better half to take the stand during the rallying stage. Michelle Obama did just that in 2008, and Melania Trump followed suit this July. However, it’s not a tradition to plagiarise past speeches, which was in part what Melania’s PR agency did. After the similarities were discovered by Twitter user Jarrett Hill, the Internet went nuts with several memes and videos bashing Melania and her campaign manager for the massive PR blunder.
2. Singapore Airlines photo fail with Joseph Schooling
Joseph Schooling giving Singapore its first Olympic gold medal was a historic moment, and the champion received well-deserved appreciation from various corporations and government bodies for his efforts. However one such congratulatory event stood out for all the wrong reasons.
When Schooling flew home from Brazil, Singapore Airlines hosted a reception party in his honour at the airport and chose to post this very unfortunate photo of the occasion, with Schooling left out in the background.
1. Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen (PPAP) song
By now everyone is probably familiar with the PPAP song. With its quirky lyrics, silly dance steps and addictive beat, the song that gave DJ Piko-Taro, a fictional character from Japan, overnight fame, looks set to join the ranks of overnight successes like What Does the Fox Say. The 43-year-old entertainer, whose real name is Kazuhiko Kosaka, is being invited for guest appearances all around the world.
