In the ever-evolving landscape of internet culture, new trends spring up at breakneck speed. The TikTok platform is a prime arena for such phenomena, with one recent trend coming in the form of Pinkydoll’s TikTok Lives. Pinkydoll, also known as @pinkydollreal on TikTok, became a notable figure in the NPC (non-player character) Streaming trend in July 2023.
These livestreams gained prominence and intrigue due to the perception that they were eccentric or “psychotic.” This reaction was primarily driven by Pinkydoll’s unusual “call and response” catchphrases, which she uses when receiving tips and gifts from viewers. Among her most iconic phrases are “gang gang,” “ice cream so good,” and “slurp” (characterized by her pantomiming the action of licking). These catchphrases were widely replicated and evolved into a form of internet slang, with fans creating memes and tweets revolving around them. Screen recordings of her streams soon circulated widely on Twitter, where users engaged in lively discussions about their strange allure.
Pinkydoll made her first appearance on TikTok on December 24th, 2022. This initial video attracted around 235,500 plays and 6,000 likes over seven months. Pinkydoll’s early content primarily consisted of her twerking, which earned her a substantial following that surpassed 235,800 followers by July 2023.
In January 2023, Pinkydoll started livestreaming on TikTok. This new facet of her content quickly captured attention, with other TikTok users screen recording her live streams and reposting them. The first known repost came from TikToker @lingotoks on January 23rd, 2023. The overlay text on this video read “bro wth…,” humorously likening Pinkydoll to a Nintendo Mii character.
As more of Pinkydoll’s live streams were reposted on TikTok, the user @rohan11320 labeled one such post as an “NPC Live.” This trend continued to spread, as users associated Pinkydoll with a character from an NPC or video game, such as Roblox.
The phenomenon caught significant traction on Twitter on July 10th, 2023, when @ayeitsbritbrat1 posted a screen recording of Pinkydoll’s live stream. The video showed Pinkydoll repeating her catchphrase “ice cream so good” while miming the act of licking ice cream. This tweet garnered about 54,700 likes in just three days. A similar post from @MuseWendi likened the experience of stumbling upon a Pinkydoll live stream to “watching the world end,” which further popularized the trend.
These viral tweets spurred increased visibility and discussions about Pinkydoll’s Lives, and soon more screen recordings found their way onto the platform. In addition, new videos featuring Pinkydoll were posted on TikTok, expanding her reach and popularity. This digital resonance affirmed Pinkydoll’s status as an internet sensation.
Pinkydoll’s TikTok Lives exemplify the rapid and unpredictable nature of internet trends. The bizarre, captivating, and humorous elements of her live streams have left an indelible mark on TikTok’s culture, showing how user-created content can lead to entirely new forms of internet language and meme culture. As this trend continues to unfold, one can only speculate what new catchphrases, memes, and discussion Pinkydoll’s future streams will spark.