Meme · internet culture
The 'Boo Trend Prank' Meme, Explained
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See it in action
Video: They Fell for the BOO Trend... Ranked😂, embedded from its original platform.
What the meme is
The Boo Trend is a TikTok format in which a person says the word "boo" while deliberately crossing their eyes, contorting their face into a goofy, exaggerated expression, and leaning or moving toward the camera. The visual is intentionally absurd and embarrassing, designed to look ridiculous.
While many users simply recreate the face for fun, the dominant mode of the trend is a prank: the creator convinces a boyfriend, sibling, parent, or friend to perform the "boo" face together, promising to do it side by side, then edits out their own portion and uploads only the unsuspecting participant's awkward performance.
This bait-and-switch structure gives each video a built-in narrative of deception and reaction, which drives comments, shares, and duet responses.
Beyond the prank dynamic, the trend has been heavily adopted by K-pop fandom communities. Edits and clips of idols, such as ENHYPEN's Sunoo, making similar cross-eyed faces circulate alongside the original format, blending stan humor with the meme's core visual. The trend's simplicity (no props, no special effects, just a face and a word) makes it extremely low-barrier to entry, allowing anyone with a phone to participate.
The hashtag #boo or #bootrend tags the content, and the phrase "Boo Trend" functions as a proper noun labeling the whole phenomenon in captions, comments, and explanation videos.
The humor operates in the register of "cringe comedy": the joke is precisely that the face is ugly, silly, and socially awkward. Participants who are in on the prank often laugh at their own willingness to look foolish, while victims' genuine confusion or good-natured compliance becomes the payoff.
The trend also fits a broader TikTok pattern of "collaborative prank" formats where a fake joint activity is used to isolate one person's reaction. Because the format is so replicable and the prank angle adds a storytelling hook, it has generated millions of views across thousands of videos in a matter of weeks. [1][2]
Seen in use
People using “Boo Trend Prank” in their own posts, each linked to the post itself. These are examples of use, not sources.
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How it spread
The trend exploded after the originator @v99191's September 20, 2026 video amassed over 8.4 million views and 1.1 million likes in three weeks, giving the algorithm a strong seed. TikTok's duet and stitch tools let users instantly recreate or react to the original, accelerating spread. The prank variant adds a "gotcha" element that naturally encourages sharing, viewers enjoy watching the moment the victim realizes they've been tricked.
Cross-platform migration to Instagram Reels by early October expanded the audience beyond TikTok's core user base. K-pop edits injected the trend into highly engaged fandom networks, creating a secondary viral loop. As of mid-October 2026, the trend is in a peaking phase: new prank videos appear daily, view counts routinely hit seven figures, and the format shows no sign of saturation.
Variants & examples
Used casually on TikTok and Instagram; the prank version is considered playful but can feel mean-spirited if the victim is genuinely upset.
- “She told her boyfriend they were doing the Boo Trend together, but only posted his part, classic prank.”TikTok caption describing a prank video
- “My For You page is full of people crossing their eyes and saying boo; the Boo Trend is everywhere right now.”Casual conversation about feed saturation
- “I saw a K-pop edit of Sunoo doing the Boo Trend face and it made the trend even funnier.”Comment on a fandom edit video
- “We tried the Boo Trend at the family reunion and my dad actually did it, the video got 10k likes.”Storytime tweet or TikTok story
Frequently asked
What is the Boo Trend?
The Boo Trend is a TikTok meme where someone says "boo" while crossing their eyes and making a silly face toward the camera. It's often used as a prank: the creator gets another person to do it too, then posts only the other person's reaction.
How did the Boo Trend start?
The earliest known video was posted on September 20, 2026 by TikTok user @v99191, who said "boo" with crossed eyes and a goofy expression. That video went viral and inspired thousands of recreations and prank versions.
Why is the Boo Trend used as a prank?
The prank format adds a narrative hook: the creator pretends it's a joint activity, then edits out their own part so only the victim's embarrassing face is seen. This deception drives engagement through comments, duets, and shares.