The year 2023 was massive for viral social media trends, with TikTok creators using sounds, effects and filters to push their creativity to become the stars of their own short films and answer surprising questions, such as "How often do you think about the Roman Empire?"
On December 6, TikTok put forth its year-in-review press release, looking back at some of the biggest videos, songs and trends that have permeated the globe.
"Year on TikTok 2023 is a way for us to honor some of the standout moments that have happened on TikTok throughout the year. It's a window into stories that have inspired, entertained and educated over 1 billion people around the world. Thank you for another year of bringing joy to our community and sharing your creativity with us," TikTok Head of Operations Adam Presser said in the release.
Here are the top trends of the year.
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How often do you think about the Roman Empire?
The response to this simple question shocked women on TikTok earlier this year. The trend operates under the presumption that guys frequently think about the various facets and inventions of the post-Republican state of ancient Rome, while women think of it very little—if at all.
Some videos garnered millions of views as men attempted to explain why their thoughts often drifted toward the Roman Empire.
"Don't you think about how they like lived and governed, how they like engineered food, septic systems?" one man asked his girlfriend as she erupted in laughter.
Others said they thought about the Roman Empire regarding its politics, architectural and agricultural innovations and historical relevance to modern issues.
Women were often left flabbergasted when men revealed they thought about the topic monthly, weekly, or even daily.
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According to Brandwatch, mentions of the Roman Empire have skyrocketed 750% from August to September.
While the trend was created based on a response to a seemingly innocent Instagram post, the hashtag #RomanEmpire has amassed over 3 billion views.
Red, green and beige flags
Almost everyone has heard of red lights, green lights and yellow lights, but how about red flags, green flags and beige flags?
The viral trend was performed, typically by women, to reveal what they liked, disliked, or noticed about the opposite sex.
Red flags are typically considered signs of caution that can be seen in men, while green flags are traits that women consider positive when vetting a potential romantic partner. On the other hand, beige flags are actions or idiosyncrasies that women notice but are not necessarily beneficial or dealbreakers.
"My man's beige flag is that he only ever pays with cash because he is so paranoid of credit card fraud," one user revealed on TikTok.
Another TikTok user filmed a video of her boyfriend's beige flag, which shows him physically helping the waitress bring plates to the restaurant table when he becomes impatient.
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Some green flags included making "dad jokes," remembering small details about his significant other, playing an instrument and having a passion for something.
Red flags consisted of men who complained a lot, believed in ghosts, were too friendly, had female best friends, lied, were always late, and were arrogant.
According to TikTok, the trend was the biggest viral video collection worldwide in 2023.
The term was even considered for Oxford University Press' word of the year.
Girl Dinner
The concept of putting together random assortments of food from the fridge to create a meal was rebranded in 2023 to "Girl Dinner."
The minimal-effort meal trend began in May with a video by TikToker Olivia Maher, who compared the idea to bland foods concocted during medieval times.
"A girl just came on here and said how, like in medieval times, peasants had to eat nothing but bread and cheese and how awful that was—and she was like, that's my ideal meal. I call this 'girl dinner' or 'medieval peasant.'"
One woman revealed that her girl dinner was string cheese, two hard-boiled eggs and a couple of strawberries, while another showed off her impromptu snack, which consisted of chicken nuggets, Cheetos and a Dr. Pepper.
Other meals included basic charcuterie ingredients such as meats, cheeses and pickles.
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Some critics of the trend claimed that it promoted disorderly eating or bad nutrition, while promoters of "girl dinner" said it empowered them to make fast meals at a low cost.
The trend came in at No. 1 for the United States in 2023.
Wes Anderson
The viral trend of social media users acting like they're in a Wes Anderson film came in at No. 2 globally and in the U.S. in 2023.
Wes Anderson, a Hollywood director who created "The French Dispatch" and "Asteroid City," among other films, is known for his unique aesthetic of symmetrical designs, bold color schemes, storybook or dollhouse-like sets and whimsical camera pans.
"You better not be acting like you're in a Wes Anderson film when I get there," TikToker Ava Williams captioned her now-viral video.
The clip shows Williams in a uniform, red train car where she stands and sits among well-balanced camera shots, complete with typewriter-esque title cards and playful background music.
The video was recreated by millions of TikTokers who stared directly at the camera as they explored beautiful locations in videos adorned with dreamlike details.
