2023 was the year we learned a new life hack (or two!), laughed out loud – and couldn’t stop thinking about the Roman Empire. Our global community of over 1 billion people continues to come together to connect on TikTok, positively influencing culture and impacting lives.
From foolproof recipes to funny skits, throwback tracks and thriving small businesses, the TikTok community continued creating, connecting and celebrating authenticity on TikTok throughout 2023. In Malaysia, we found out how to make concur kid kendang, learned sign language, and even figured out how to make a paper plan fly for a longer distance!
“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,” said Yin Yin Hooi, Head of Marketing and Operations, TikTok Malaysia.
Join TikTok on a trip down memory lane as we reflect on an outstanding year filled with learning, laughter, inspiration, dreaming, entertaining, and exploring by scrolling back to this year’s most memorable trends, creators, and moments with the community.
In 2023, trending content took over For You feeds around the world – especially in the entertainment, lifestyle & education and sports categories. We were mesmerized by Dollievision’s makeup routine, that Capybara song and the brilliance of sheep dogs – so many good memories, you can almost hear it! In Malaysia, we enjoyed singing Duo Anggrek, learning about Ramadan, and getting inspired by high energy dancing! Keep on reading to discover the most popular videos and trends that had everyone saying, ‘have you seen that TikTok about…?’ this year.
1. @itsme.hairie: This video, which features Hairie singing Duo Anggrek while playing the guitar, reached 97M views!
2. @pidass: This fun, positive, and energetic video, which has reached 57M views, will make you get up and dance!
3. @upinipinofficial: This video features the beloved characters Upin & Ipin as they learn about Ramadan.
4. @vt800958s3h: This video, which has reached 33M views, shows how to make paper plans that fly long distances
5. @frh.aida: This video shows a creative transition trend of handing flowers while changing outfits and has reached 26M views.
TikTok artists provided the soundtrack for 2023, ranging from infectious pop tunes to comeback tracks. The most popular song this year was “Cupid – Twin Ver – Sped Up Version” by FIFTY FIFTY. Taking advantage of the TikTok audience’s preference for sped-up music, this rendition of “Cupid” went viral, sparking a slew of trends ranging from cuisine instructions and clothing suggestions to CapCut memes, which have been very popular this year. The trends prompted millions of streams, resulting in the K-pop girl group’s debut Billboard 100 entry. Turn up the volume and listen to TikTok’s top songs of the year:
1. “Cupid – Twin Ver – Sped Up Version” – FIFTY FIFTY
2. Suasana Di Hari Raya – Anuar & Ellina
4. TANIA – Alvin83
6. What It Is – Solo Version – Doechii
7. “If We Ever Broke Up” – Mae Stephens
8. Cikini Gondangdia – Duo Anggrek
10. FLOWER – Jiso
Every day, a TikTok celebrity is born. This year, we were entertained and inspired by an entire galaxy of creators, who continue to be the throbbing heart of our platform. From the renowned #TubeGirl or Sabrina Bahsoon to a charming border collie named Pluto and Khairulaming’s mouthwatering Malaysian cuisine, these are the breakthrough producers, personalities, and artists who made it on and beyond TikTok in 2023.
1. @sir_asai: Sir Asai rose to fame by making educational videos on how to pronounce English words correctly. His TikTok tutorials, including the differences between English versus English in Kelantan, how to use certain English words in a sentence, and other useful tips won TikTok Awards Malaysia 2023 Winner of Best of Education.
2. @shahirazlan: Shahira is best known for her before-and-after makeup transformations and beauty care tutorials. She is also the TikTok Awards Malaysia 2023 Winner of Best of Beauty & Fashion.
3. @khairulaming: Khairul Aming’s name is synonymous with his viral Ramadhan cooking series, entitled “30 Hari 30 Resepi”. His delectable dishes – and his signature Sambal Nyet – has won him the TikTok Awards Malaysia 2023 Winner of Creator of The Year
4. @sultan_riq: Won the TikTok Awards Malaysia 2023 Winner of Best of Gaming Winner
5. @sofyank96: Sofyank is known for his mind-bending and mind-boggling visual effects – and even got to collaborate with his idol, US creator Zach King.
TikTok is a musical playground where musicians and composers collaborate to propel songs and trends at the speed of culture. Selena Gomez (@selenagomez), BTS (bts_official_bighit), and Kim Loaiza (@kimberly.loaiza) were on repeat in 2023. These musicians, including those from our own community, topped the charts, including Jovynn (@itsjovynn) and Baby Shima (@babyshimaofficial). Here are the top musicians whose songs dominated our playlists and For You feeds in 2023.
2. Baby Shima (@babyshimaofficial)
3. Daiyan Trisha (@daiyantrisha22)
5. Janna Nick (@jannanickofficial)
6. Siti Nurhaliza (@toktitiktok)
9. Elizabeth Tan (@elizabethtsm)
TikTok allows you to start small but think – and achieve – large. No one knows this better than our small business owners, who will have personally experienced the good influence of our community in 2023. We uncovered a dad’s t-shirt designs from the 1980s and 1990s and Tim Parker’s free lawn mower service to Sydney locals thanks to trendy hashtags like #SMB and #SmallBusiness, #TikTokShop #sapotlokal. small businesses like @stylarembroidery and creators like @abang_naz use their platforms to promote notice to small businesses closer to home. Here are some of the most well-known small businesses that have inspired us in 2023.
1. @bapabros: Through the hashtag #makanlokal, @bapabros features his son eating local food and filming his reactions. Through this, he creates buzz within the local food community and contributes to the growth of the businesses they feature in their reviews
2. @abang_naz: Through the hashtag #businessguru, @abang_naz promotes kindness by using his marketing expertise to help local small businesses
3. @shafiemabror: Through the hashtag #bisonline, @shafiemabror gives housewives ideas on how they can have a second income
4. @trashcycle.my: Through the hashtag #sapotlokal, @trashcycle.my features activities and places to go on the weekend with a budget of less than RM 50 to support local businesses
5. @heytoyworld_mas: Through the hashtag #smallbusinessowner, @heytoyworkd_mas shares her journey of starting her own business to motivate others to do the same.
6. @stylar.embroidery: A local embroidery business that offers unique designs
We learn while scrolling on TikTok because there is so much instructional information! In 2023, #BookTok demonstrated that reading is cool again, while #CleanTok demonstrated the most useful home hacks. In Malaysia, we learnt magic tricks, how to make a pudding cake with Milo, and even about Malaysian law. Discover the most popular ideas, tips, and how-tos that improved our lives in 2023.
1. @mosteleyy_bestz: Abang Bestz is a magician who shares magic tips to TikTok users.
2. @lawyergandhi: Lawyer Gandhi is a Malaysian lawyer delivering videos to answer law-related topics for user general information purposes only.
3. @sir_asai: Sir Asai is a great role model for Teaching Can Be Fun Too!
4. @limaunipisofficial: Hidayah shares an easy recipe for cooking a Milo pudding cake without using an oven and mixer.
5. @shahirazlan: Shahira shows that there’s more to putting on makeup – it can be an artform to express creativity
6. @auntiepurple248: Auntiepurple248 teaches us that creativity has no age limit. You can still shine as long as you are confident!
The TikTok community continued to bring their creativity to life and push the frontiers of self-expression this year, with over 25 billion videos generated using community effects to far. This year, we all had a great time doing our own renditions of Girl Dinner, acting like we were in a Wes Anderson movie, and waving our red, green, and beige flags. In 2023, the most popular trends will be enabled by unique characteristics – and our inventiveness.
1. Cartoonified AI Looks: Use AI to cartoonify your face!
2. Vibe effect: Shoot videos with a fish eye lens for a different vibe.
3. Finger Dancing: It’s harder than it looks! Try simple finger dances with friends and family.
4. Soda Gembira Challenge: Make your own version of this popular local drink
5. Suasana Di Hari Raya: Share your tips and tricks for the ultimate Raya celebration!
We also honored Creators who are raising awareness for their causes. Whether it’s gaming, cinema, or sports, creators like Fan (@fancfreakz), Azmira (@azmirakmar), or Nasseb Ali (@refereekampung) inspire and educate others who share similar interests, passions, and occupations.
1. @fancfreakz – Fan creates educational gaming content and was able to hit 1 million views in conjunction with the Malaysia Independence day holiday.
2. @cikgumisai – Cikgu is a teacher and seasoned gaming creator who shares the latest gaming campaigns, news, updates and tips.
3. @eiqamaleq – Eiqa transformed her love for k-drama into recommendations that she shares with her audience. She has done collaborations with local and international artists, including Dato Siti, Calumn Scott, Alec Benjamin, and many more.
4. @azmirakmar – Azmir’s daily dose of movie reviews has made him one of the go-tos for the latest TV shows and movies.
5. @refereekampung – Nasseb Ali uses his experience as a certified referee to create content and share knowledge about football.
6. @ammaranuwar – Ammar is a football coach who shares tips and best plays when it comes to football.
Creators continued to push boundaries in 2023, motivating others to learn something new and advocate for causes close to their hearts. These artists are making a tremendous difference throughout the world, whether it’s Irin Putri, an autism advocate, or Anissaa Jailani, a deaf creator who teaches sign language. Here are some of the Creators utilizing TikTok to do good this year.
1. @irin_putri: Irin Putri is a TV producer and host and an autism advocate
2. @sarahnursuhaimi: Sarah features her daily life with her autistic son
3. @drizamsuziani: Dr Izam is an autism mom and advocate
4. @adamsautismfamily: An account that documents the life of Adam, who has autism
5. @anissa.jailani_ : Anissa is a deaf creator who teaches Malaysian sign language
6. @lbk2907: Loh Boon is a visually-impaired Chinese Muslim who shares his story to the public
We also covered the best Malaysia food findings, whether it was Ceddy (@ceddyornot) giving us unique and fun food tours across Malaysia or Shahril (@shahrilwokay2) motivating us to uncover Malaysia’s hidden jewels in smaller towns and cities. There were also creators who inspired Malaysians to try new recipes, such as Adik Foods’ (@adikfoods) well-loved family recipe for ‘cucur kentang’ and Chef Dave’s (chefdaveveganjourney) papaddam goreng masala, which demonstrated an easy method to spice up a Malaysian favorite!
1. @khairulaming – Khairul’s #MaggiGorengBasah got 21M video views!
2. @adikfoods – Adik Foods shared a well-loved family recipe for cucur kentang
3. @chefdaveveganjourney – Chef Dave is an Indian chef who shares vegan recipes.
4. @ceddyornot – Ceddy released a video series of “Take Ceddy Out” showcasing the recommended food places from his friends, including local celebrities and content creators
5. @akiejack – Ackie Jack is known for his mukbang content and recommendations – and he’ll always listen to fan requests for new food content or food ideas to eat
6. @shahrilwokay2 – Shahril is a foodie creator focusing on food tour recommendations around the Malaysian states.
Celebrate Year on TikTok 2023
Get ready to celebrate with us in Malaysia with #Hello2024, LIVE Fest, and many other exciting events!
Let’s scroll it back on TikTok! Learn more about this year’s most unforgettable trends, creators and moments via our our in-app hub here or search #YearOnTikTok on the app.