Welcome to Bangkok!

Part of a series on Björk. [View Related Entries]

Updated Jun 12, 2026 at 03:55PM EDT by Zach.

Added Feb 13, 2026 at 11:03AM EST by K.J. Genualdo.

PROTIP: Press 'i' to view the image gallery, 'v' to view the video gallery, or 'r' to view a random entry.

This submission is currently being researched & evaluated!

You can help confirm this entry by contributing facts, media, and other evidence of notability and mutation.

About

Welcome to Bangkok refers to an infamous 1996 incident in which Icelandic singer Björk physically attacked reporter Julie Kaufman at Bangkok International Airport after Kaufman greeted Björk and her 9-year-old son by saying, “Welcome to Bangkok.”

The phrase began to gain widespread use in Stan communities on X / Twitter and TikTok in the 2020s as footage of the assault regularly resurfaced online. Users on X and TikTok started using the footage for fancams and other edits. In 2024, TikTok users began reenacting the incident in costume as Björk, as well as recreating the footage in popular games like Roblox.

Origin

On February 18th, 1996, Icelandic musician Björk was recorded in a physical altercation with reporter Julie Kaufman while departing Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport in Thailand. When the reporter greeted Björk and her son with the words, “Welcome to Bangkok,” she suddenly lunged at the journalist and knocked her to the ground.^[7]

Footage of the news report was uploaded to YouTube^[1] by user IAmUter on July 13th, 2021, garnering over 109,000 views, 1,800 likes and 240 comments in four years.

Spread

The incident became a widely discussed moment in pop culture history in the decades following the incident, with clips of the altercation going viral across various social media platforms throughout the 2010s and 2020s.

On October 12th, 2023, TikTok^[2] user @hopedrunk.lost posted a clip from an interview in which the musician explains her take on what happened at the airport. The video received over 7.7 million views and 537,800 likes in about two and a half years.

@hopedrunk.lost #viral #bjork ♬ som original – hopedrunk.lost

On August 25th, 2024, TikTok^[3] user @arcasita posted a recreation of the altercation in the video game Roblox using the “Welcome to Bangkok” audio. The video received over 898,100 views and 104,300 likes in about one year and eight months.

@arcasita I just started playing baddies and this came to mind #bjork #björk #bjorktok #welcometobangkok #bangkok #newsreporter #bjorkwelcometobangkok #fight #baddies #baddiesroblox #roblox #fyp #fypage #fypシ #robloxbaddies #robloxbaddie #dresstoimpress #dti #dtiroblox #bjarb #selmasoongs ♬ Hi welcome to bangkok – arcasita ♩෴

On June 6th, 2025, TikTok^[4] user @lee_and_duh posted a video dressed as Björk in the style of the “Welcome to Bangkok” scene. The video received over 357,800 views and 67,600 likes in about one year.

@lee_and_duh Happy Pride Month #bjork #fyp ♬ Illegal – PinkPantheress

On September 24th, 2025, TikTok^[5] user @cm_vsp posted a chaotic video dressed as Björk set to the musician's song "Pluto." The video received over 505,900 views and 99,500 likes in eight months.

cm_vsp</a> welcome to bangkok 💚<a title="bjork" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/bjork?refer=embed">#bjork</a> <a title="Edit" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/Edit?refer=embed">#Edit</a> <a title="idk" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/idk?refer=embed">#idk</a> vc:user23587512110 ♬ sonido original – CM☆𓄃

On October 18th, 2025, TikTok^[6] user @dietcokewithasideofcig posted a similar video, which received over 605,300 views and 111,200 likes in nearly eight months.

@dietcokewithasideofcig The first person to do this is the most genius person in the world #bjork ♬ sonido original – CM☆𓄃

Various Examples

@crudmes this is the most effortless video i made but i need views so |#sakuraschoolsimulator #björk #welcometobangkok ♬ original sound – crudmes – Crudmes💭💤

@bertubble
Welcome to Bangkok

♬ original sound – Bert

@jxxzzzz_ Welcome to BANGKOK || #bjork #bjorkedit #finalgirledit #viraledit #fyp ♬ original sound – 👻

@seansartaccount
one of the most iconic paparazzi clashes in pop culture… Björk in Bangkok

♬ original sound – se@n

@no.1despair_fan Its so fun to make these kinds of video teehee #björk #bjork #sombr #fyp #xybca ♬ Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s wife – LE SSERAFIM

@willdasquidmane like bro chill OUT I just wanna draw the Engineer #memes #shitposting #music #art #bjork #welcometobangkok #bangkok ♬ pink diamond x wuthering heights asf – 😺