科目三舞蹈 — Subject 3 Dance

What Is 科目三舞蹈?

科目三 (Subject Three) is a viral dance from China's Guangxi region — knees swinging side to side, wrists flicking in rhythm, body fluid and carefree — that became the defining viral dance of 2023. When Haidilao hotpot staff began performing it for customers, it exploded globally. Over 46 billion video plays. A genuine worldwide phenomenon that temporarily became China's cultural export.

Origin

The dance has roots in Guangxi wedding celebrations. In Chinese driver's education, 'Subject One' = theory test, 'Subject Two' = driving skills, so 'Subject Three' became a joke: the third skill you need in Guangxi is dancing. It went viral in November 2023 when Haidilao waitstaff performed it and the video got 10 million views overnight. By New Year 2024, a Shenyang group broke a Guinness World Record for the most simultaneous 科目三 performers.

Cultural Context

科目三 became the first Chinese internet meme to break into mainstream global attention since Gangnam Style — performed at Russian ballet shows, by factory workers in Southeast Asia, by TikTok users everywhere. The smoothness of the dance ('silky') and the infectious remix of '一笑江湖' made it irresistible. In China it represented Guangxi regional culture being recognized nationally.

How It's Used