What is the ‘Mingle Dance’? Squid Game scene sparks viral trend

Throughout January, TikTokers have been going viral with the ‘Mingle Dance,’ inspired by a scene from a Squid Game episode.

The ‘Mingle Dance,’ also known as the ‘Round and Round Challenge,’ is the latest viral trend on TikTok. It draws inspiration from a scene in the second season of the Netflix series Squid Game. In this survival show, contestants must endure deadly challenges to win a life-altering sum of money.

One of the season’s standout moments comes from a game called “Mingle,” where players scramble to form groups and enter rooms corresponding to specific numbers while a haunting nursery rhyme, “Round and Round,” plays in the background.

The suspenseful scene is heightened by the presence of a vibrant, purple-haired character named Thanos (played by K-pop star T.O.P.), who dances joyfully despite the life-threatening stakes. His carefree attitude and memorable moves have made him the highlight of Squid Game 2 for many.

Mingle Dance trend origins

On December 26, 2024, Squid Game season 2 episodes “One More Game” and “O X” premiered, introducing the “Mingle” challenge. In this dark game, players must form a group within 30 seconds and rush into rooms with the corresponding number to survive.

A clip featuring the “Round and Round” song and Thanos’s infectious dancing was posted to TikTok by squidgamenetflix on December 30. The video amassed over 158 million views in a week, instantly sparking a trend.

In the scene, Thanos mimics choreography from BIGBANG’s hit song ‘Bang Bang Bang,’ before gleefully linking arms with another player, laughing and spinning in circles.

On December 31, TikToker alekessekes_ uploaded the first viral recreation of the “Mingle Dance,” garnering over 16 million views and 2 million likes in a week. The video features TikTokers linking arms and spinning in a circle, mirroring Thanos’ carefree movements.

Since then, thousands of videos have adopted the “Round and Round” sound in January, with fans re-creating both the simple group dance and Thanos’ solo moves.

The trend has already amassed over 82,000 videos on TikTok, many of which have garnered millions of likes and views, solidifying its place as one of the platform’s first viral moments of 2025.

If you want to learn more about what dances are popular on TikTok at the moment, check out our list of the top 20 best TikTok dances.