[Youth Report] "Isn't it Levitation?"... Middle School Student Living in Daegu Became a Star on TikTok

'TikTok' Becomes a Playground for MZ Generation Worldwide
Daegu Middle School Students Popularize 'Sleek Back Challenge'
Flood of Sensational Content to Gain Views

Various challenges trending on TikTok are gaining popularity worldwide, especially among the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z). TikTok is a platform that showcases short videos, similar to YouTube in that users upload videos. However, its distinctive feature is the short length of videos, typically around 15 seconds. Because anyone can easily create content anytime and anywhere, TikTok, once a latecomer in the video platform market, has now established itself as the "playground for the MZ generation."

‘TikTok’ That Made a Middle Schooler an Instant Star... 200 Million Views on the ‘Slick Back Challenge’

Slickback challenge video that surpassed 200 million views on TikTok. [Image source = TikTok account 'wm87.4']

Recently, the ‘Slick Back Challenge’ has been trending among teenagers and people in their twenties. This dance involves sliding the feet on the floor as if skating. The dance, which first became popular overseas, has recently gained significant attention domestically and is trending on social networking services (SNS) and other platforms.

The main figure who sparked the slick back challenge craze in Korea is a middle school student. This boy uploaded a video of himself doing the slick back dance in an alleyway on TikTok, and it became a sensation because it looked as if his feet were not touching the ground. Netizens jokingly nicknamed it the ‘superconductor dance.’

The video’s star is Lee Hyo-cheol, a third-year student at Yongsan Middle School in Daegu. Lee’s slick back video, posted on TikTok on the 16th, surpassed 200 million views in just five days. Considering it is a short video of less than 10 seconds and was uploaded by an ordinary person, this is an extraordinary record.

Currently, the video is flooded with comments such as "Isn’t this levitation rather than the ‘Slick Back Challenge’?", "I can’t believe it even though I see it with my own eyes," and "Please explain in detail how to do it."

[Image source = TikTok account 'wm87.4']

Lee recently appeared on the YouTube channel ‘Geunhwang Olympics’ and shared his thoughts on becoming famous overnight. He said about the video’s popularity, "What I do isn’t the complete (original) slick back but a distorted version, and people seem to like that more," adding, "Originally, the dance involves dragging the feet, but mine looks like my feet are floating in the air, so maybe that’s why."

The slick back dance that was originally popular overseas mostly involved sliding on tiptoes. However, after Lee’s video, it became trendy to dance with the front part of the foot slightly lifted, as if levitating. Lee said, "I like dancing," and added, "Thank you for all the attention. I will continue to upload videos from time to time, so I hope many people watch them."

Secrets Behind Short-Form Popularity... Instant Gratification and High Concentration

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

What made a 9-second short video capture the attention of people worldwide? It is related to viewers’ instant gratification and high concentration. In an era overflowing with information, short-form content offers viewers immediate satisfaction without the need to wait. Especially, the MZ generation prominently tends to acquire information quickly within a short time. TikTok’s high popularity aligns with this tendency of the MZ generation.

From the perspective of content creators, short-form is also efficient. Compared to long videos, it requires relatively less production time and cost, enabling rapid production of diverse content. Also, since videos can be shot with just a smartphone without special equipment, teenagers naturally become producers as well as consumers of short-form content.

As a result, TikTok’s popularity is steadily increasing. According to market research firm Sensor Tower, TikTok recorded over 4 billion downloads worldwide last year, making it the most downloaded app of the year. TikTok’s monthly active users in the United States alone reach 150 million. Considering the total U.S. population is about 330 million, nearly half of the population uses TikTok.

Especially among the MZ generation, TikTok’s popularity is exceptionally high. Mobile market analysis service App Ape analyzed that 77.5% of TikTok users are aged 13 to 34. It is fair to say that TikTok is the playground for the global MZ generation.

Concerns Over Dangerous TikTok Challenges Like Hitting the Face with a Hammer and Holding Breath

The 'Jaw Breaking' challenge, which involves altering the jawbone, is becoming popular overseas. [Image source=TikTok]

However, there are also problems when some create provocative content to gain many views in a short time. Recently, among young people overseas, a controversial challenge called the ‘jaw-breaking challenge’ has been trending, which involves deforming bones to create a slim jawline. This challenge involves hitting the face with blunt objects like hammers and bottles to artificially change the facial bones.

Experts have expressed concerns, saying, "Attempts to artificially change facial bones can cause injuries such as facial bone fractures, skin, and soft tissue damage."

Other dangerous challenges that have sparked criticism include the ‘Skull Breaker Challenge,’ where two people simultaneously kick one person’s calves from the side to knock them down, and the ‘Milk Carton Challenge,’ which involves stacking milk cartons and stepping on them. Particularly, the ‘Fainting Challenge,’ where participants hold their breath until they pass out, has resulted in dozens of teenagers losing their lives.

Meanwhile, countries like the United States are currently moving to regulate TikTok citing national security concerns. This is due to ongoing worries that the Chinese platform TikTok is transferring user information to its home country.

In fact, Montana signed a TikTok ban bill in May. If this law is officially enforced on January 1 next year, app stores like Apple App Store and Google Play Store will have to disable TikTok downloads in Montana. However, TikTok has filed a lawsuit against Montana to invalidate the law.