The military coup that began in Myanmar on Sunday, with the detainment of its state counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, is a terrifying ordeal, to put it lightly. But there can be a lighter to just about anything. That includes, apparently, this: Amidst the confusion and panic that spread with the news came a viral video of a woman recording an aerobics tutorial while the actual coup occurs right behind her.
Una mujer hizo su clase de aerobic sin darse cuenta de que estaban dando el golpe de Estado en Myanmar. Y pues puede verse como el convoy de militares llega al parlamento. pic.twitter.com/fmFUzhawRe
— Àngel Marrades (@VonKoutli) February 1, 2021
According to BuzzFeed News, the woman in question is one Khing Hnin Wai, and she’s a physical education teacher in the employ of Myanmar’s Ministry of Education. In the video, which lasts three minutes, she appears to be oblivious to the armored vehicles rolling up behind her.
As the video made the rounds on social media, some internet sleuths deduced that the PE teacher was filming not far from the nation’s Parliament.
Yeah it's the same. The metal barrier things were probably added in the last couple of years. pic.twitter.com/YvPz9iUaZt
— Aric Toler (@AricToler) February 1, 2021
There was, as per BuzzFeed News, some question of whether the teacher was performing in front of a green screen, but other videos from her show her in the exact same spot.
The absurd video was greeted as a masterpiece of 2021 content.
A woman did her regular aerobics class out in open without realizing that a coup was taking place in #Myanmar. A Military convoy reaching the parliament can be seen behind the woman as she performs aerobics. Incredible! pic.twitter.com/gRnQkMshDe
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) February 1, 2021
A woman gave her live aerobics class in Myanmar without knowing about the ongoing coupe. Behind her, military vehicles arrive to seize the Parliament building
2021 off to a great optic start https://t.co/KHmG3Z4Y3k
— Joshua Collins (@InvisiblesMuros) February 1, 2021
I came for the footage of the coup but stayed for the aerobics class. She is good at it by the looks of it.
— 𝔅𝔯𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔱𝔞𝔦𝔯 (@Brandtair) February 1, 2021
Definitely me when the TL arguing https://t.co/mCnmWrQWBm
— bria celest (@55mmbae) February 1, 2021
The world just having a good time in January 2020 https://t.co/TdANaD7Xxw
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) February 1, 2021
This is my exact aesthetic. https://t.co/3eMQKRXH7H
— Desi (@DesiJed) February 1, 2021
after John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln you just know there was an actor who went back onstage and performed their solo https://t.co/VhYSsGhqHH
— Matt Oswalt (@MattOswaltVA) February 1, 2021
influencers maintaining a positive vibe online 2020 – present https://t.co/8KuOBSLIcp
— Tess Gattuso (@tessplease) February 1, 2021
https://twitter.com/NickBouier/status/1356342576928866304
dance like nobody’s launching a military coup right behind you https://t.co/WBqvNj1Lk3
— Logan Hall (@loganclarkhall) February 1, 2021
Some set it to different music.
the myanmar coup aerobics video slowed down and set to enya – "Only Time" (Requested by @David_Rudnick) pic.twitter.com/1LboB279hl
— michael graphics (@_MichaelOswell_) February 1, 2021
In the meantime, things are still scary in Myanmar. According to The New York Times, though she won a landslide election in 2015, Aung San Suu Kyi had to share control of the country with military powers. Her job was seen as keeping the generals in check, but their stalemate ended after an election in November, in which the public had overwhelmingly voted for her National League for Democracy. The military then complained of mass voter fraud and demanded a recount. By Monday they had seized control of the nation by force.
Is it any wonder everyone’s turning to a video of someone blissfully unaware of the nightmare around them?
(Via BuzzFeed News)