The phrase comes from everyday slang where tf is shorthand for an expletive used to question relevance, and this short clip spread as a reusable reaction on TikTok and other short form platforms. Rather than being tied to a single confirmed scene, it circulated as a detached audio that creators could place over unrelated arguments, texts and group chat screenshots. Its popularity comes from how universal the sentiment is, letting anyone signal they want no part of a situation in just two seconds.