15 viral moments that defined 2020

There's no doubt that 2020 has been a wild year. What better way to relive the craziest moments than a rundown of all things that shook the internet?

From funny, to confusing, to heart-warming, here are 15 of the most viral moments that happened in the Philippines this year.

1. The "Bawal Judgmental" Pilots

Two professional pilots served major kilig when they met each other on Eat Bulaga's Bawal Judgmental segment in January.

Guest pilots Steffi and Jeremy were revealed to be both 24 years old and single, and ended up getting matched together on the show. Backstage, the two ended up following each other on Instagram.

Later, they met up in Clark and gave pasalubong to each other. In an interview with GMA News' Aubrey Carampel, they said they were friends but won't close their doors to anything, "so if it happens, it happens."

2. The "Too Good at Goodbyes" Singer

In February, a young Filipino student broke the internet when a video of him singing Sam Smith's song "Too Good at Goodbyes" went viral. Why? He sounded just like the British singer!

And of course it caught the attention of Smith, who tweeted, "WHO IS THIS KID!!!!!? YOU ARE OUT OF THIS UNIVERSE WHOEVER YOU ARE [heart emoji]."

The kid is apparently Carl Malone Montecido, who was actually among the top 64 finalists of the second season of GMA's singing competition "The Clash."

3. Dalgona Coffee

^{Photo by Jannielyn Ann Bigtas}

Admit it, at some point you tried, or at least was tempted to try, the Dalgona coffee.

Dalgona coffee went viral as Luzon and other parts of the country were placed under enhanced community quarantine starting March 17 in a bid to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

That wickedly photogenic and aesthetically pleasing cup of joe you saw on everyone’s feed is a DIY coffee trend that originated from South Korea.

The best part? It's super easy to make!

According to Google Philippines, it was one of the top how-to searches this year.

4. The Catfishing Incident

The wild story tweeted by user Jzan Tero will go down as 2020's most quote retweeted thread, according to Twitter Philippines.

And no wonder — the complicated issue had netizens furious in behalf of the victim.

Long story short, trans woman Jzan met a boy online and dated him for eight months, only to find out the whole thing was an elaborate catfishing scheme. And allegedly pulling the strings was a woman named Sam Morales, out of an old grudge against gay and transgender people.

If this summary sounds impossible, wait until you read the whole thread.

5. The Ethel Booba Crisis

Ethel Booba confused social media when she disowned what she claimed was a "fake account" on Twitter, which had accumulated 1.6 million followers since its creation in 2012.

Popular for its funny, relevant, and at times political tweets that always ended with her catchphrase "Charot," the Twitter account had won Ethel a book deal in 2016. The book, titled "Charotism: The wit and wisdom of Ethel Booba," is a "collection of her best, most memorable, and most popular tweets" that made her Twitter royalty.

In a vlog, Ethel said she has no clue about the identity of the person who had been tweeting using her name, but noticed its existence in 2016 and let it be.

"Fake, tigilan mo na 'yan. Makakarma ka sa ginagawa mo," she said, addressing the person behind the account.

6. Walang Ganun Mars!

@richobautista

Yung kapitbahay nyo na mahilig mang Hiram ##tiktok ##comedy ##kapitbahay ##foryou

? original sound - Richo Bautista

The endless bickering of two neighbors made a lot of people laugh during the quarantine period.

TikToker and real life public school teacher Richo Bautista made the incredibly viral "kapitbahay serye" where he plays both Mars, a woman who always confronts her neighbor over neighborly troubles like gossip, and Aling Nena, who always covers her tracks with the already-iconic line "Walang ganun mars!"

In an episode of "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho," Richo revealed that he drew inspiration from his early life.

"Noong bata pa po ako, kahit palanggana pinagaawayan. So ginawa namin 'yung video na 'yun na kung saan ay makakarelate ang lahat," he said.

7. Rose Vega

Early in the year, Big Ed and Rose from the reality show "90 Day Fiance" started becoming viral.

To recall, Big Ed flew to the Philippines from the US to pursue a relationship with Rose, who resides in Caloocan City.

Rose became a big hit on social media after clips of their disastrous moments on the show went viral. People especially loved her facial expressions and deadpan one-liners, making numerous memes about her and dubbing her as a "big mood."

She has since then created a YouTube channel and stunned everyone with her new look.

8. The Free Bike

Thousands and thousands of netizens were moved when an elderly man who had been walking to Makati daily to sell candies on the street was gifted a free bike by a shop in Pasay City.

Tatay Carlos Samonte had been passing by the CARBS Motor/Bicycle Parts twice every day since May 15, asking if they have an available bike.

In June, the shop finally had a mountain bike available and the 82-year-old man asked if he could buy it for P2,000. The bike originally costs P4,500.

But when the owner's mother, Fe Carandang, heard his story, she surprised Tatay Carlos by giving him the bike for free one day.

During an interview, Tatay Carlos was moved to tears recalling the incident. "Tuwang-tuwa ako. Malaking pasasalamat ko sa kanya. Nawala ang pagod ko," he said.

9. Matteo Guidicelli's Unboxing Video

Many were triggered by Matteo Guidicelli's unboxing of his PlayStation4.

The video, which was uploaded on his YouTube account on June 2, suddenly gained traction two weeks later, when netizens couldn't believe the way he (1) trashed the box and (2) carelessly handled the expensive toy.

After ripping the sleeves open, Matteo read the label that said, "Please keep the sleeve for extended warranty service."

"I just broke it sorry," Matteo said, when he realized what he had done. "Yup I'm not good at unboxing. This is my first time, maybe later I can learn."

The YouTube video garnered 81,000 dislikes and 17,000 likes.

10. Comet NEOWISE Proposal

It was a once in a lifetime chance to see Comet NEOWISE, and not only did this couple see it — they got engaged under it!

Richmond Perez went down on one knee and asked to marry his girlfriend Sandra in July, and she said yes for the second time.

Apparently, Richard had already proposed to Sandra with a simple ring before, but decided to propose again when the new ring they chose arrived.

Comet NEOWISE, discovered by NASA in March 27, started approaching the Earth in July 3, 2020. It disappeared from sight by mid-August.

It's next appearance won't be until another 6,800 years.

11. Ostrich on the loose!

Two ostriches spotted running amok in a Quezon City village captivated netizens in August.

"Jumanji" trended on Twitter after the video spread like wildfire on the internet, in reference to the iconic film about a supernatural board game that unleashes elements from the jungle into the real world.

Unfortunately, one of them passed away due to stress. The other ostrich who survived was voluntarily handed over to DENR and has been brought to a Biodiversity Management Bureau rescue center.

12. "Damn 2020"

People were shocked to hear about the death of "Black Panther" star Chadwick Boseman.

The general sentiment was that 2020 just keeps on taking. Pinoy netizens got "Damn 2020" trending as they mourned the death of the actor.

Chadwick had brought to life King T'Challa, who is also the superhero Black Panther, in 2016 — the same year he was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer.

As he battled the disease, he went on to star in his own Marvel movie, "Black Panther," in 2018. He also joined the cast of the phenomenal "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018) and "Avengers: Endgame" (2019).

43-year-old Chadwick passed away in his home, surrounded by his wife and family.

13. #CancelKorea

@bellapoarch

##greenscreen Here is a photo of my arm tattoo. I love Korea???????? I would never do anything to hurt anyone.

? The Banjo Beat, Pt. 1 - Ricky Desktop

Filipino and Korean netizens butted heads in September, causing #CancelKorea to trend on Twitter.

The issue stemmed from Pinay TikToker Bella Poarch, who received backlash after some Korean netizens noticed her arm tattoo that incorporates Japan's Rising Sun flag.

Offended Korean netizens began tweeting racist comments not just against Bella but to all Filipinos in general.

Filipino K-culture fans have been expressing their disappointment over the issue.

Bella had apologized and vowed to remove the controversial tattoo.

14. RC Cola Ad

Soft drink brand RC Cola confused and fascinated social media with its Kafkaesque ad released in November.

The ad starts off with a boy asking his mother whether he is an adopted child. He then removes his backpack, removes his school uniform, and reveals that he has four glasses attached on his back.

The mother then removes her white scarf, removes her head, and reveals a bottle of RC Cola in its place.

On Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, netizens are torn whether it was funny or creepy, with some wondering how it got approved and others thinking it was a stroke of genius.

15. Cebu Resort Incident

The Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in Cebu recently drew flak on social media after its owner responded negatively to a review by a parent of a special needs child.

Mai Pages, a mother to a six-year-old child with autism, left a review on Trip Advisor, narrating an experience which she described as discriminating.

Resident shareholder Manny Gonzalez however accused her of "most likely deliberately lying" since "uncontrolled shouting is not a symptom of autism." He even went as far as to question the child's diagnosis.

The resort has since issued an apology. —JCB, GMA News