Latest news with #TungTungTungSahur
Bangkok Post
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Bangkok Post
Italian Brainrot: the weirdly addictive AI trend
If you're a parent with a school-aged child, chances are you've heard some bizarre sounds coming from your kid's room -- things like "Tung Tung Tung Sahur" or "Tralalero Tralala." These odd noises stem from a phenomenon called Italian Brainrot, which has captured the imagination of children and teens around the world. Inside the world of Italian Brainrot The moment Italian Brainrot began to spread like wildfire was when kids and teens started sharing these images and characters in various formats – story videos, songs, memes. Thanks to their repetitive sounds and ridiculous names, they're incredibly easy to remember and mimic. Today, Italian Brainrot has grown so much that it could almost be considered a meme series of its own. Some of the most popular characters include: Tung Tung Tung Sahur – A wooden statue with arms and legs, holding a log. Its name imitates the sound of a drum, with a backstory that it wakes you with three beats – and if you don't get up, it hits you on the head. Tralalero Tralala – A three-legged shark wearing blue Nike shoes, made 'cool' by walking or running instead of swimming. Bombardiro Crocodilo – A mash-up between a crocodile's head and the body of a B-17 bomber aircraft. Bellerina Cappucina – A ballerina whose head is a cappuccino cup, always dancing with energy and joy. The effect on Thai kids Italian Brainrot hasn't just gone viral online – it's also made its way into real-life behaviour among school children. One person who has observed the trend up close is a Bangkok Post staff member and mum to a third-grader. She shared: "It began when my child returned from school with these odd names -- essentially meaningless words used as nicknames from AI-generated cartoons." "Primary pupils giggle uncontrollably upon hearing these "Brainrot" terms. Some schools have banned them from classrooms as they cause such disruption." "The content is watchable but lacks substance to me. But then again, when we were children, we hardly extracted profound meaning from our cartoons either. Perhaps we grew up with Aesop's fables and moral tales, feeling compelled to find some deeper message in everything we consumed. This generation may not feel that necessity quite so keenly." "I think this is rather a personal matter -- those capable of reflection will manage it, whilst those who cannot... well, it's simply rather a pity." "The more intriguing question is why children have the time to scroll endlessly through these brief AI clips in the first place. If parents wish to prevent addiction, they must exercise proper supervision. It's as straightforward as that, really." This is a clear reflection that while Italian Brainrot may seem like harmless nonsense, it can have negative impacts if not handled or understood properly. From digital to local: when memes leave the internet Italian Brainrot is no longer just an internet trend – it's starting to show up in the real world too. In Thailand, for instance, local vendors have begun selling dolls and keychains modelled after the characters. One vendor, who gets her stock from Sampheng Market – a well-known hub for accessories, clothing, toys and gifts - admitted she didn't know much about the characters. She was simply advised to try selling newer figures. Characters like Tung Tung Tung Sahur and Tralalero Tralala have proven popular among customers, sold in various sizes – from small keychains priced at 30 Thai Baht to larger ones for 100 Baht. It's a sign that the trend appeals across different price ranges. Adapting to AI-driven content At first glance, Italian Brainrot might seem like just another fleeting internet craze. But in reality, it reflects how children today consume media in the digital age – where content evolves rapidly in both positive and negative directions. It's now more important than ever for parents and educators to understand the kinds of content kids are engaging with. The key lies in encouraging diverse and meaningful media consumption to help children grow up in a digital world in a way that's both creative and safe. In the end, Tung Tung Tung Sahur might just be the starting point for meaningful conversations between generations – about how the world is changing, and how we can all coexist happily in a time when technology is an everyday part of life.
New Paper
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Paper
S'pore content creators tap popular 'Italian brainrot' memes, unaware of darker undertones
In the last couple of months, adults and children alike may have come across a series of social media sensations: a wooden oblong creature holding a baseball bat, a ballerina with a cappuccino for a head and a walking shark wearing blue Nike shoes. These surrealist internet memes first garnered views and "likes" in early 2025. Nonsensical and mildly grotesque, the artificial intelligence (AI)-generated characters instantly earned themselves a spot among social media's beloved "brainrot" genre. Brainrot refers to content deemed to be of low quality or value, non-intellectual, trivial and addictive, and also refers to the supposed negative psychological and cognitive effects caused by it. Tung Tung Tung Sahur (the wooden oblong object), Ballerina Cappuccina (the ballerina), Tralalero Tralala (the walking shark) and Bombardino Crocodilo (a crocodile head with a bomber plane body) are part of the cast. They all have pseudo-Italian names and their clips are voiced over in Italian. One video of Tung Tung Tung Sahur doing a famous TikTok dance that was posted on April 27 received 26 million likes. But these memes are sometimes embedded with offensive and problematic messaging, which viewers may be unaware of. The original AI-generated Italian-language video featuring Bombardino Crocodilo mocked the deaths of children in Gaza and glorified terrorism as a whole. As for some Tralalero Tralala clips, the narration mocks Islam and includes blasphemous statements. Several Singaporean influencers and content creators have leveraged Italian brainrot's virality, creating fashion videos featuring outfits inspired by the characters or a Zumba video starring the dancing aunties of local community group Everdance. On May 19, content creator Jovanna Yam, 22, posted a TikTok video of her mother reading out Italian brainrot names, while she played the instrumental audio on the piano. The video has since amassed 15,600 likes and 284,000 views, up from her usual 13,000. Ms Yam, who goes by migraineyy on TikTok, told The Straits Times: "I mostly post videos of myself playing classical piano pieces and pop covers, so I did not expect this one to go this viral. I was trying to create more funny content to hook my audience. "When you watch an Italian brainrot video for too long, the algorithm deems that you like this kind of content and pushes out more of it on your 'For You' page. All my social media accounts were filled with these videos." But she added she was not aware of the darker undertones of Italian brainrot. "It is definitely a cause for concern as nobody would expect them to be controversial. Most of us watch these types of videos for entertainment because of how nonsensical they are." Since finding out about some offensive versions, she intends to check her comments thoroughly to ensure she has not offended any followers. In April, local Gen Z social media couple Dyce and Ce posted a video of themselves on Instagram and TikTok trying the Guess The Italian Brainrot Character filter challenge, which garnered 358,000 likes and nearly four million views. In the comments section, most netizens praised their humour and asked where they could find the filter. But a few demonstrated more awareness of the implications of the series. One netizen wrote: "I'm Italian. The first name (Tralalero Tralala) means something bad." Another added: "It was funny until someone told me the meaning of Tralalero Tralala and Bombardino Crocodilo."
Straits Times
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
S'pore content creators tap popular ‘Italian brainrot' memes, unaware of darker undertones
SINGAPORE – In the last couple of months, adults and children alike may have come across a series of social media sensations: a wooden oblong creature holding a baseball bat, a ballerina with a cappuccino for a head and a walking shark wearing blue Nike shoes. These surrealist internet memes first garnered views and 'likes' in early 2025. Nonsensical and mildly grotesque, the artificial intelligence (AI)-generated characters instantly earned themselves a spot among social media's beloved 'brainrot' genre. Brainrot refers to content deemed to be of low quality or value, non-intellectual, trivial and addictive, and also refers to the supposed negative psychological and cognitive effects caused by it. Tung Tung Tung Sahur (the wooden oblong object), Ballerina Cappuccina (the ballerina), Tralalero Tralala (the walking shark) and Bombardino Crocodilo (a crocodile head with a bomber plane body) are part of the cast. They all have pseudo-Italian names and their clips are voiced over in Italian. One video of Tung Tung Tung Sahur doing a famous TikTok dance that was posted on April 27 received 26 million likes. But these memes are sometimes embedded with offensive and problematic messaging, which viewers may be unaware of. The original AI-generated Italian-language video featuring Bombardino Crocodilo mocked the deaths of children in Gaza and glorified terrorism as a whole. As for some Tralalero Tralala clips, the narration mocks Islam and includes blasphemous statements. Several Singaporean influencers and content creators have leveraged Italian brainrot's virality, creating fashion videos featuring outfits inspired by the characters or a Zumba video starring the dancing aunties of local community group Everdance . On May 19, content creator Jovanna Yam, 22, posted a TikTok video of her mother reading out Italian brainrot names, while she played the instrumental audio on the piano. The video has since amassed 15,600 likes and 284,000 views, up from her usual 13,000. Ms Yam, who goes by migraineyy on TikTok, told The Straits Times: 'I mostly post videos of myself playing classical piano pieces and pop covers, so I did not expect this one to go this viral. I was trying to create more funny content to hook my audience. 'When you watch an Italian brainrot video for too long, the algorithm deems that you like this kind of content and pushes out more of it on your 'For You' page. All my social media accounts were filled with these videos.' But she added she was not aware of the darker undertones of Italian brainrot. 'It is definitely a cause for concern as nobody would expect them to be controversial. Most of us watch these types of videos for entertainment because of how nonsensical they are.' Since finding out about some offensive versions, she intends to check her comments thoroughly to ensure she has not offended any followers. In April, local Gen Z social media couple Dyce and Ce posted a video of themselves on Instagram and TikTok trying the Guess The Italian Brainrot Character filter challenge, which garnered 358,000 likes and nearly four million views. In the comments section, most netizens praised their humour and asked where they could find the filter . But a few demonstrated more awareness of the implications of the series. One netizen wrote: 'I'm Italian. The first name (Tralalero Tralala) means something bad.' Another added: 'It was funny until someone told me the meaning of Tralalero Tralala and Bombardino Crocodilo.' Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hindustan Times
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Tung Tung Tung Sahur: What is the new TikTok meme and why is it trending?
If you haven't come across the viral Tung Tung Tung Sahur meme on TikTok, chances are you will, eventually. While trends are an everyday affair on the internet, the new 'brainrot' meme has left netizens perplexed. Amid the growing presence of the creepy, cylindrical wooden character, netizens are curious about its origins and the meaning behind it, if any. Unlike common social media trends, the Tung Tung Tung Sahur seems to have no exact meaning or a fact-based origin story. However, the first visual of the now-viral creature was shared by TikTok user @noxaasht on February 28. In this initial post, the character, referred to as Tung Tung Tung Sahur, which looks like a wooden log with an odd face, holds a bat while an Indonesian voice-over plays. The translation of the audio according to Know Your Meme reads, 'Tung tung tung tung sahur. Scary anomaly that only comes out at Sahur. it is said that if someone is called for Sahur three times and does not answer, then this creature comes to your house. It's very scary. Tung tung usually makes a sound like a gong. Share it with your friends who have trouble eating Sahur.' Meanwhile, 'suhoor' refers to the meal consumed by Muslims before dawn in the month of Ramadan, according to the Islamic Relief U.K. website. The word Sahur in Tung Tung Tung Sahur is supposedly linked to 'suhoor.' Other social media users claim that 'Tung Tung Tung' mimics the sound of the drumbeats used as a wake-up call for 'suhoor' in several parts of Indonesia. 'Nearing the end of Ramadan in late March 2025, many Indonesian internet users began joking about Tung Tung Tung Sahur returning back to his homeland, having completed his mission of scaring everyone into taking Sahur,' the description for the viral brainrot meme further reads on Know Your Meme.
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Tung Tung Tung Sahur meme explained: Know the origin story behind Ramadan's viral wake-up call
The rapidly evolving landscape of social media can easily be gauged by the fact that a simple meme has the potential to kick off a massive trend that may dominate the timelines of users for weeks or even months. One such viral sensation that has managed to gain widespread recognition in recent months is the Tung Tung Tung Sahur meme. The template is inspired by a meme that was first shared online by TikTok user @noxaasht in February this year. Tung Tung Tung Sahur meme: Popularity A large number of social media users have shared their own versions of the meme since it was originally posted. The star of the viral meme is an animated cylindrical wooden log that closely resembles a 'mugdar', a traditional weight training tool that originated in ancient India. The animated oddity is shown holding a baseball bat. The original audio of the popular meme template includes a chant of Tung Tung Tung Sahur. With the popularity of the meme rising rapidly in some Islamic countries such as Indonesia, let's take a look at what it depicts. Also Read : Beware! USDA issues health alert against Alsi Pork carnitas for possible metal contamination risk by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Linda Kozlowski, 67, Shows Off Her Perfect Figure In A New Photo Today's NYC Undo In order to gain an understanding of the meme, we first need to get a grasp on what the Tung Tung Tung Sahur phrase conveys. 'Sahur' refers to the meal consumed by Muslims during the pre-dawn hours before the start of their daily fasting period in the month of Ramadan. Meanwhile, Tung Tung Tung is used to mimic the drum-beating that is used in several parts of Indonesia as a wake-up call for 'sahur'. The Tung Tung Tung Sahur craze has gained considerable traction on Instagram. Social media users across platforms are sharing unique versions of the meme. Some of these memes feature AI-generated characters. The signature chant of the original meme is being remixed by users in various formats. A filter borne out of the trend is also gaining rapid popularity with users. Live Events Tung Tung Tung Sahur viral meme: What does it mean? The meme's popularity reflects how younger social media users do not hesitate from adopting bizarre trends. The Tung Tung Tung Sahur meme has quickly made a place for it in the timelines of users with its quirky appeal. It has also emerged as a cultural reference with a wide appeal among youngsters. Like every other meme, it is hard to predict how long will Tung Tung Ting Sahur manage to retain its place on the timeline of social media users. However, the trend has surely had a good run so far. Also Read : Shannon Sharpe faces $50m lawsuit as NFL legend sued for rape, sexual battery FAQs What does Tung Tung Tung Sahur mean? Tung Tung Tung Sahur is a phrase that depicts the drumming beat used to wake people up for the pre-dawn 'sahur' meal in various parts of Indonesia during Ramadan. 2 . Who posted the meme first? It is reported that the Tung Tung Tung Sahur meme was originally posted by a TikTok account named @noxaasht.
