Visiting Rico Yan’s Grave Has Become TikTok's Latest Trend
Let the late matinée idol rest, you guys.
(SPOT.ph) There’s a new trend on TikTok that has people flocking to a rather unexpected spot: the grave of late '90s heartthrob Rico Yan. What started as a post paying homage to the beloved actor has turned into a full-blown trend, with other users even going as far as to call his grave a “new tourist destination.”
One viral TikTok video showed a user dramatically strolling around Yan’s tomb, placing his hand on the nameplate, even hugging it at one point. The original video has since been deleted, with the user making their account private—but the Internet keeps receipts.
@trendingchikaph HAHAHAHHAHAHA BAKIT GINAWA NIYONG TOURIST SPOT SI RICO YAN??? #fyp #ricoyan #claudinebarretto ♬ original sound - Mikhaela Janna Jimenea Lim
Also read: 10 Most Mysterious Deaths That Shocked Our Nation
Why are people visiting Rico Yan’s grave in 2024?
You might be thinking: Why now?! Rico Yan died 22 years ago.
It’s likely because of a recent resurgence of his work online. Clips from his popular films have been making the rounds on social media platforms like TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), prompting a new generation to discover—and the older generation to rediscover—the Rico Yan charm. He was, after all, the ultimate boy next door, the guy whom girls wanted to bring home to mom.
What started as seemingly genuine tributes to the late actor has evolved to puntod visits that appear to be staged performances done just for laughs, or for likes. A Facebook post declared his grave as the newest tourist hotspot. One even had the hashtag, “It’s more fun in the Philippines.” The post racked up over 11,000 reacts and 11,000 shares online.
But many are rightfully crying foul over the lack of respect for the guy and his final resting place. Several posts have clearly crossed the line with “huhukayin” jokes.
Clearly, Rico has become popular content material, at least for the moment. Pictures of his nephew are posted side by side the actor's to make the point that the two look so much alike. There are artificial intelligence (AI) edits of Rico's image portraying him as a dad.
Rico was a staple of '90s Filipino cinema, starring in popular films like Got 2 Believe, Gimik, Mula sa Puso, Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay, and FLAMES: The Movie. His untimely death in 2002 at the age of 27 left fans shocked and heartbroken. The funeral coverage even pre-empted six hours of regular programming on ABS-CBN, Rico's home network. Fans and the curious followed the coverage, from the vigil to the rites at La Salle Greenhills to the burial at Manila Memorial Park.