From the Dalgona coffee challenge to the quarantine travel challenge, netizens found enough excuses to stay busy on social media and shake off boredom during the pandemic-induced lockdown.
As the year 2020 draws to a close, we take a look at some of the most viral challenges on the internet.
Safe Hands
Launched by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the #safehands challenge on social media called on people to practise hygienic hand washing techniques to tackle the coronavirus outbreak. Celebrities and popular faces on social media took up the challenge and posted videos of them washing their hands for 20 seconds.
Check it out here:
Thank You @DrTedros, for nominating me for the #SafeHands Challenge!#COVID19 surely is an uphill health and public safety task, but all of us are in this fight together!I further nominate @rogerfederer,@Cristiano and @imVkohli to take up this challenge! #coronavirus #StaySafe https://t.co/45glSxXkqP pic.twitter.com/7s7R4pIrrL
— Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) March 17, 2020
STAY SAFE
here #Safehand challenge , safety from #covid19 #coronavirus #Corona #RjAlok pic.twitter.com/o6SATE2ebJ— RJ ALOK (@OYERJALOK) March 18, 2020
Until tomorrow challenge:
In one of the most viral social media challenges on Instagram, users were seen posting their weird or embarrassing pictures with the caption “#untiltomorrow”.
To take part in the challenge, one had to ‘like’ someone’s picture with the hashtag #untiltomorrow. The person who liked the picture received a message to share a snapshot of himself with the same caption. The post had to be visible to others for at least 24 hours.
Saree challenge
This challenge required users to post a picture of them in sarees. After posting the picture, users were required to tag their friends and challenge them to do the same. After the saree challenge went viral, men also started taking part in the challenge by posting pictures of themselves in dhotis.
Quarantine travel challenge
This viral challenge drew participants from across the world. They were required to share two pictures – a place they had visited and a recreation of the same at home. Social media was flooded with hilarious outcomes of the challenge.
From Instagram to Facebook, people recreated favourite moments from their travels with various props at home.
Take a look here:
Dalgona Coffee challenge
Another viral challenge during the pandemic, it was inspired by the South Korean Dalgona candy (a sugary toffee with a soft sponge-like texture). The drink became extremely popular for its easy-to-make recipe and aesthetically pleasing look.
Check it out:
Philz #dalgona? pic.twitter.com/LAQKfyKS6i
— Jacob (@JacobJaber) May 12, 2020
Happy International Coffee Day. #coffee #java #dalgona #nescafeclassic #cuppajoe pic.twitter.com/IurdAygCHc
— Zaniekepanie🇿🇦 (@izanne_85) September 29, 2020
Quarantine pillow challenge
The Quarantine Pillow challenge required participants to make outfits from their favourite pillows. Some even accessorised it with a heavy belt, pearl necklace or funky shoes. Take a look at some of the trending pictures under the hashtag #quarantinepillowchallenge:
Tic Tac Toe challenge with pets
This challenge on TikTok was about users playing ‘tic tac toe’ with their pets. Since most pets lack opposable thumbs needed to play the game with pen and paper, people in the challenge came up with unusual ways of involving them. While some drew on their behalf, others used treats to prompt pets to pick their spot.
Check it out:
playing tic tac toe with my dog pic.twitter.com/rBhOhYePSe
— The Law (@futureteenmom) April 15, 2020
so i tried to do the #pet #tictactoe #quaratine challenge with Kanan. it went well. pic.twitter.com/jCwA2MtwSu
— Joanna Grelle (@willsdarklady) March 24, 2020
MeAt20 challenge
After the 10-year challenge, the next social media craze was the #MeAt20 challenge, where users had to look back to their younger years. From youngsters to celebrities, everyone was hooked on to this challenge. As the name suggests, the challenge simply required users to post a picture of themselves when they were 20 years of age, with the hashtag #MeAt20.
Take a look at the entries here:
#MeAt20 As you can see from the pic, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life!😀 I became a pescatarian over the years though! pic.twitter.com/7gUUcQ2z8W
— Happymon Jacob ഹാപ്പിമോൻ ജേക്കബ് (@HappymonJacob) April 18, 2020
#MeAt20 in the pink lace, with the overly plucked brows and middle parting and straight hair, because, fashion. pic.twitter.com/sDuU6LJJj8
— Amber Rahim Shamsi (@AmberRShamsi) April 17, 2020
The gesture challenge
A challenge which saw participation across social media platforms, it required people to perform a set of complex hand movements accompanied by fast-paced music.
The challenge caught the attention of various celebrities, including The Jonas Brothers, Dan Osborne and Jacqueline Jossa.
Quarantine dance challenge
One of the most popular challenges this year, it required a person to simply dance to any song of their choice and post the video with the hashtag #QuarantineDance challenge.
The participant was also required to pass on the challenge to his or her friends by tagging them. Similar social media tasks such as savage dance challenge and quarantine dance-off challenge also became popular.
Toilet paper challenge
Also known as the #10toqueschallenge or 10 touch challenge, it required people to juggle a roll of toilet paper with their feet, making sure it doesn’t touch the ground. Argentina and Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi and Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz were among the prominent players to have taken up the challenge.
Check it out here:
¿Te atreves? ⚽️🧻 #10toqueschallenge #quedateencasa pic.twitter.com/HDDwCDn306
— Brahim (@Brahim) March 15, 2020
🔝🧻 🔵🔴 @RiquiPuig #QuedatACasa#YoMeQuedoEnCasa#StayAtHome pic.twitter.com/XhzJcaRgla
— FC Barcelona B (@FCBarcelonaB) March 15, 2020
Follow Me To
With the COVID-19 pandemic curtailing travel, Russian photographer Murad Osmann and his partner Natalia’s famous #followme challenge got a new twist with #FollowMeToHOME.
The couple’s photo series went viral in 2013 and had people recreating their signature pose, which showed Natalia standing at a scenic location with her back to the camera and her outstretched handheld by Osmann.
As scores were stuck at home due to lockdowns, the couple asked people to get creative and launched a special competition that challenged people’s indoor photography skills on the lines of the #followme challenge.
Pass me the brush challenge
The ‘pass the brush’ challenge involves a person starting with a natural look and then revealing a glamorous makeover after briefly covering the camera screen with a makeup brush. The person then passes the brush to the next participant in the challenge.
Take a look at some of the best transformations under the hashtag #passthebrush challenge here:
So I asked my friends and supporters to do this challenge with me 😳😳 We BODIED THAT 👏🏽👏🏽😭😍😍 #PassTheBrush #dontrushchallenge pic.twitter.com/u8Z4Ik08gX
— Savannah Cristina (@saveannah) March 31, 2020
#passthebrush challenge OUST EDITION #OustDuterte #masstestingph #solusyongmedikalhindimilitar pic.twitter.com/8dVUVASEB6
— Anakbayan Chicago (@Anakbayan_Chi) April 21, 2020
Flip the switch
The challenge, which started on TikTok, was to be performed with Drake’s 2018 hit song ‘Nonstop’ playing in the background. The challenge usually had two or more people as participants.
As the song goes “Look, I just flipped the switch”, the participants were required the flip/switch off the lights. The objective behind the challenge was to reveal something markedly different about the person filming or the environment in which the challenge was filmed, once the switch is turned back on.
#FlipTheSwitch Me and my roommate. I hate this challenge already… pic.twitter.com/ZXLMCjtDek
— Afo ❼ (@ifyouwereafo) March 5, 2020
Can it win best #fliptheswitch video? 🤣🤣 #challenge pic.twitter.com/JOjW717UpV
— karenwazen كارن وازن (@KarenWazen) March 27, 2020
#SareeFlow challenge
The challenge became a rage after 24-year-old dancer Eshna Kutty posted a video of her performing hoop dance to the cult AR Rahman hit ‘Genda Phool’ in a saree and a pair of sneakers.
Posted with the hashtag #sareeflow, the video soon went viral, prompting many others to create their own version of the same. Take a look:
Dolly Parton challenge
Also known as the #LinkedinFacebookInstagramTinder, the challenge started when 74-year-old legendary singer Dolly Parton posted four photos of herself on four separate social media platforms — LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Tinder. She captioned them as, “Get you a woman who can do it all”, triggering a meme challenge.
Gripped by the theme of coming up with suitable images ideal for each platform’s display picture, people around the globe took up the challenge.
Getty Museum challenge
Many on social media channelled their inner artists after a tweet by @GettyMuseum challenged them to mimic famous artworks with objects at their home.
From French painter Claude Monet’s work to “The Astronomer” by Johannes Vermee, netizens came up with unique ways to recreate, often leading to hilarious results.
@GettyMuseum pic.twitter.com/XsxLdrFR90
— Mike Colson (@karmadump) March 28, 2020
@GettyMuseum feeling a bit constricted indoors, so we had to pause for this Nahua-Coyote inspired musing from Florentine Codex Book 11. pic.twitter.com/wZv3mBB8tA
— Josh Fitzgerald (@IntrepidHistory) March 27, 2020
#ChallengeAccepted
This social media challenge saw women from across the globe are posting black and white selfies photos of themselves. The aim of the ‘challenge’ is to celebrate womanhood and promote friendships among women.
Take a look here:
