Gen Z embalmer goes viral on TikTok after answering questions about his extraordinary job

If you've seen one of KaMorgue's videos, then you've reached the educational side of TikTok!

Ferdinand Maglapo, a licensed embalmer from Nueva Ecija, started making videos on his "KaMorgue" TikTok account by showcasing different types and styles of coffins.

But when people began getting curious about his unusual job, he started gaining a huge number of followers just by answering questions about all things embalming.

In a Thursday episode of "Unang Hirit," Ferdinand talked about how he got famous on TikTok and answered some of the creepiest questions he received.

According to the 25-year-old, he didn't plan to create content about his embalming process, but he couldn't resist the netizens' curiosity.

"May nagtanong sa 'kin about embalming procedure, s'yempre alam naman po natin 'yung dapat isagot, so gumawa po ako ng video hanggang sa nagtuloy tuloy na," he told "Unang Hirit."

("Someone asked me about the embalming procedure, and since I know the answer, I made a video until it became a series.")

Ferdinand is a third-generation licensed embalmer in their family, starting with his grandfather, who first taught him how to do the job. And since the business has been with them for so long, he said he's no longer afraid to do what the job entails.

"Nasanay kami mula bata na laging may nakikitang kabaong, laging may nakikitang patay, kaya nung nag-embalsamo na po ako, hindi na po ako masyadong natakot," he said.

("We got used to it because since we were kids, we would always see caskets, we would always see dead bodies, so when I started embalming, I was not afraid.")

Ferdinand then shared the creepiest moment he had at their morgue.

"May inaayos ako noon na 17 years old. Nandoon po kasi 'yung kapatid na baby nung namatay. 'Yung baby na 'yun, nagsalita ng "ate, ate." Parang nagpapakarga dun sa kapatid niyang patay sa loob ng morgue," he said.

("I was working on a 17-year-old. The deceased's baby sibling was there, and the baby said, 'big sister, big sister.' It's like the baby was asking to be held.")

He also shared an instance where the corpse moved its finger during the embalming process, but Ferdinand said that this type of situation is typical at the morgue since dead bodies react with formalin through muscle movement.

"'Yung explanation naman po doon, wala na pong buhay 'yung binalsamo ko na 'yun. Kumbaga, nag-react lang po 'yung muscle niya [sa formalin]," he added.

("The explanation for that, the body I was embalming was already dead. The muscle just reacted to the formalin.")

As of writing, "KaMorugue" has amassed over 300,000 followers and over 3.5 million likes on TikTok.

—Hermes Joy Tunac/MGP, GMA News