description: Why do boyfriends and dads appear alone saying “boo”? Trace the September 2026 face video, October editing prank, real examples and historical view counts.
The Boo Trend is a TikTok format in which people cross their eyes, say “boo,” and lean toward the lens. It began circulating as a deliberately awkward facial expression in September 2026. In October, creators added a trick: ask a partner or relative to film together, then edit themselves out. The uploaded video makes the trusting participant look as if they enthusiastically performed the whole thing alone.
The punchline is in the edit
The basic version needs only a few seconds: crossed eyes, a goofy expression, a sudden close-up and a “boo.” For the prank version, a creator invites a boyfriend, dad or cousin to do it together. Both may participate while recording, but only the invited person survives the final cut. What makes the scene funny is not the quality of the crossed eyes. It is the gap between a promise of teamwork and an inexplicable solo performance.
Where did it start, and when did it spread?
Know Your Meme's October 13, 2026 entry identifies a September 20 TikTok by @v99191, captioned “Booooo,” as its earliest documented example. The clip reportedly passed 8.4 million views and 1.1 million likes in roughly three weeks. Those are historical observations, not current counters. Earliest documented also does not mean nobody had ever made that face before.
A September 28 fan edit featured ENHYPEN member Sunoo; an Instagram Reels example followed on September 30. The record then lists an October 3 boyfriend prank above 1.7 million views, an October 6 version above 2.6 million, an October 9 dad video above 735,000 and an October 12 cousin version above 1.3 million. Each figure belongs to a separate post observed around October 13, not a worldwide combined total.
Where is it used, and how do you join in?
Documented examples center on TikTok and Instagram. Know Your Meme labels the trend's region as the United States. A K-pop fan edit shows crossover into a fandom, not measured nationwide popularity in South Korea. Search “Boo Trend,” “cross-eyed boo prank” or “#booo.” You can simply imitate the face or make a genuine two-person video. If the joke involves posting someone else's solo take, ask their permission first. The surprise should be in the editing, not an unwanted public embarrassment.
Conclusion
The Boo Trend turned a two-second expression into a joke about editing and trust. Someone says “boo” like a ghost; the person who invited them to film is the one who disappears.
References (6)
- Know Your Meme: Boo Trend (2026-10-13)
- TikTok @v99191
- TikTok @kkk4t33
- TikTok @nimrashamid
- TikTok @lily_d.88
- Instagram @siixuc
Checked October 22, 2026. Direct playback of original TikTok clips was restricted; dates and historical figures follow the record linking to the posts.
