The Bo Burnham-inspired Welcome to Indonesia trend is currently sweeping TikTok by storm, as seen in the ever-growing number of local creators borrowing the melody and combining them with lyrics that, for the most part, satirize the Indonesian government.
While there are a bunch of impressive takes that specifically take aim at the official COVID-19 strategy in the country, it appears that two TikTok creators’ attempt in satire didn’t quite land, which left the general audience with the impression that they didn’t even believe the coronavirus is real.
In a 30-second TikTok clip, Yogy Yulianto and Salsa sang their spin on Welcome to Indonesia, comparing Indonesia’s current COVID-19 crisis with the UEFA Euro 2020, where large numbers of maskless spectators are filling the soccer stadiums.
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“Welcome to Indonesia, where many people are miserable. It’s just because of a virus that is said to be dangerous. While people abroad are already relaxed [about COVID-19]. Look at the spectators in Euro, no one is wearing masks,” Yogy and Salsa sang with scowled facial expressions.
“Welcome to Indonesia, where many people are disappointed. Because there are new regulations from the government. Why do all the warung (food stalls) have to be closed at 5pm? At what time does the coronavirus come?”
The duo’s take sparked anger across social media, where netizens have been calling them insensitive as Indonesia struggles with a deadly second wave of the coronavirus.
The TikTok has since been taken down by the creators, who also posted an apology video on Monday.
@salsabillaraklarifikasi dari kita , kita berdua mohon maaf yang sebesar”nya kepada seluruh masyarakat indonesia , kami berdua berjanji tidak akan mengulangi lagi♬ suara asli – Salsa Bila
“We didn’t mean to disbelieve the existence of the coronavirus, we believe that it’s real,” Salsa said in the video, admitting that they were “careless” in their choice of lyrics.
The duo may be treading dangerously close to facing legal repercussions for their video. Recently, authorities in Padang, West Sumatra say they are launching legal action against a woman who downplayed the COVID-19 crisis in a viral video.
Welcome to Indonesia is a trend that features Indonesian TikTok creators giving their own spin on a song by American comedian/musician/writer Bo Burnham titled, Welcome to the Internet. Burnham performed the song in his latest Netflix special, Inside, which was released in late May. The comedy special, which was recorded in Burnham’s home without any crew or audience, features songs and sketches that explore themes of mental health and popular online culture.
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