Hawk Tuah spread online in 2024 after a street interview clip went viral across TikTok, X and repost pages. The phrase quickly became a reaction sound because the delivery is so distinct and the joke is understood almost instantly. Short edits like this one became popular for fast cuts, caption memes and bait-and-switch punchlines. It still gets used because viewers recognize it within a second, much like other internet staples such as bruh and goofy ahh sounds.