As the Myanmar military staged a coup while taking control of the country, it’s the video of an aerobics instructor, oblivious of what is happening behind her, that is going viral from the neighbouring nation.
What inadvertently got posted in the video by Khing Hnin Wai, a physical education teacher in Myanmar, were the alleged first moments of a dramatic military coup that was unfolding in the background of capital Naypyidaw.
In the video, Wai appears to continue her workout as black SUVs drive up to a security checkpoint on the road leading to the Assembly of the Union complex behind her.
Wai, who has a massive following on Facebook, posted the video of herself performing her exercise routine, in which she doesn’t skip a beat as military vehicles appear behind her. Oblivious of what’s going on, Wai is seen making small punching moves as cars behind her come to a standstill.
What the video here:
The video was originally posted by Wai herself at this Facebook link.
Wai posted on Facebook again to say that she has shot many videos at the location before and the video was real. She said that she had been filming dance videos outside the assembly for 11 months.
Also Read: EXPLAINER: Why is the military taking control in Myanmar?
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
2020 was a rough year for many, but by 2021 we learned to mask up, ignore the ongoing coup attempts, and get on with our lives. https://t.co/srSqVUBUn7
— Carl T. Bergstrom (@CT_Bergstrom) February 1, 2021
The video has gone viral across social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Reddit. One user said, “This masked woman in Myanmar livestreaming her workout routine oblivious to the coup taking place right behind her may just prove to be the most emblematic video of the 2020’s.”
gives a whole new meaning to “doesn’t matter if you get the steps right, the important thing is to just keep moving!” https://t.co/jqjrMRsDXW
— Alyssa Limperis (@alyssalimp) February 1, 2021
Another user said, “Talk about a revolutionary workout.” A third user said, “If 2021 was a video….. Casually doing your exercise video while a coup unfolds behind you.”
The song makes it 100x funnier
(“Ampun Bang Jago” is a sarcastic Indonesian slang phrase which is often used to mock arrogant police/military officers) https://t.co/DE22OH4ILb
— joe (@jawadywn) February 1, 2021
This woman gave her live aerobics class in Myanmar without knowing about the coup happening directly behind her as military seized control of the parliament building.
Surreal… https://t.co/EbBvzDxSW9
— Rex Chapman (@RexChapman) February 2, 2021
Something so powerful about this. https://t.co/ioCxFN2oz7
— Caralisa Monteiro (@runcaralisarun) February 2, 2021
On Monday, Myanmar’s military announced it had taken control of the democratically-elected government and declared a one-year state of emergency. Nobel laureate and state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior leaders of the ruling party were detained in early morning raids as part of the coup.
Also Read: A decade after junta’s end, Myanmar military back in control