TikTok’s review of the year will help to fast charge your pop culture battery
In 2023, TikTok was the gift that kept on giving. There wasn't a dull moment on the video-sharing platform, which provided users with funny content and inescapable trends that ended up on everyone's FYP (that stands for 'For You Page' for those unfamiliar with the lingo).
Between the skits, recipes, and impossible-to-forget songs, TikTok became a place where users could find a community for everything—we have Gen-Z to thank for that.
TikTok recently released its annual “Year on TikTok” report to shed light on this year's highlights, and some of them are stranger than you think. The standout moments of 2023 show that TikTok is the place on social media for all kinds of random content – and has seen a lot of sharing in the past twelve months.
We've had the pleasure of consuming a hybrid stream of educational content, pop culture updates, and oddly satisfying videos that kept us scrolling for hours. Thanks to TikTok, I was able to tell you everything from Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour to which recipes you can and can't make with cottage cheese.
If you're new to the culture of video sharing platforms or are a user who hasn't yet gotten a full taste of the weirdness of TikTok 2023, we've put together a list of some of the most memorable content from last year. Here's a quick look at the entertaining and wildly funny videos that have hit our feed.
'Only on TikTok'
There's no denying that TikTok entertains us with material you won't find on other video sharing platforms.
2023 was “The Year of the Girl,” especially the emerging “girls dinner” trend, which ushered in a comedy caravan that almost everyone jumped on. The #girldinner community reached a whopping 2.5 billion views in total, with creators coming together to share meals they would consider culinary delicacies. The best thing about #girldinner is that they were never real 'dinners'; rather, they were amalgamations of different snacks piled on one plate. Combine foods as random as cheese and crackers, watermelon and black olives on a plate, and there you have it: a girls' dinner.
@karmapilled
♬ original sound – karma carr
The obsession with Wes Anderson on TikTok highlighted Gen-Z's obsession with aesthetically pleasing cinema. Anderson's infamous filmmaking style was adopted by creators in 2023 due to a trend of people capturing themselves as if they were in a scene from one of his films. It quickly became a creative way for TikTokers to do everything from documenting a trip to Spain to romanticizing a daily walk in the park.
@danclemt
♬ Obituary – Alexandre Desplat
Our 'For You Favorites'
Everyone's FYP is designed so that the content is tailored to the interests of users. TikTok's algorithm is one of the smartest in social media, but there are always a few videos that manage to make it into the vast majority of feeds.
While the ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) trend isn't for everyone (that's everyone), it turned out to be an acquired taste that kept popping up in everyone's feed in 2023. This year, ASMR deviated from its standard form – tapping hard objects next to a microphone to cut out sharp and hair-raising sounds – to instead use… fried chicken.
TikToker @thezachchoi was no stranger to the FYP and received millions of views and likes for his recipes. Combining elements of step-by-step recipes and the ASMR genre, Choi started a craze that brought two types of popular content into one video.
His unique approach to ASMR creation guided us through every step of the cooking process, capturing viewers' attention with close-up and satisfyingly crunchy sounds of sautéing, frying and assembling food. It's safe to say that the fried chicken and bubbling oil audio hype wasn't on anyone's 2023 bingo card.
@thezachchoi
♬ original sound – Zach Choi
TikTok becomes educational and 'FoodTok'
In the age of social media, everyone says, “Don't believe everything you see online.” Ironically, in the context of that statement, TikTok saw a demand for educational content not found in a normal classroom.
TikTok was a place where niche educational facts rose to the surface; the ones that made you scratch your head and think, “Huh.” @rescuerestore became popular thanks to their antique restoration content and pencil-sharpening history lessons, while Mr. Bean lookalike @mrbeandamatematica taught us tips and tricks on how to make pesky math problems a little easier.
@rescuerestore My antique pencil sharpener collection PART 1
@mrbeandamatematica
♬ Dom Dom Yes Yes – Remix – Biser King
Food is a genre that appears in millions of TikTok videos every day, and in 2023, imaginative recipes attracted a lot of attention – with a particular trend being cottage cheese recipes. Users quickly followed suit with the hype in light of the increasing “healthy food hacks” circulating on the video-sharing app. Thanks to this, TikTok has opened the door to emerging recipe trends.
One of the great things about TikTok is that you never know what content you're going to encounter – and the rise of cottage cheese recipes is a perfect example of this, with it becoming the number one food trend on TikTok in 2023.
@jakecohen CHEESE EDIBLE COOKIE DOUGH. I'm not feeling well, I know, but I need a steady stream of sweets all day and lots of protein, so I'm actually craving a few spoonfuls of this magic whenever my sweet tooth kicks in!! Very easy! Don't try to fry it! I hope you all shut up!!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰 Cottage Cheese Edible Cookie Dough 1 pound low-fat cottage cheese 1/4 cup maple syrup 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups almond flour 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder 1 cup dark chocolate chips Combine the cottage cheese in a blender, maple syrup and vanilla and puree until very smooth. smooth mass. Place the mixture in a bowl and stir in the almond flour and protein powder until well incorporated. Then fold in the chocolate pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
TikTok's annual report shows that it is becoming an increasingly influential platform, and 2023 trends show that its ability to span different content genres is growing rapidly. From here on out, the trends are only going to get weirder.