The Horchata Cult Is Just the Latest 'Cult' Sensation to Take Over TikTok

The internet has always moved fast, but trends on TikTok move faster than most. At least once a day, a new viral sensation emerges that begins to take over the platform, and some users may wonder exactly what all these trends are about. The latest trend in that wave is the Horchata Cult, which isn't actually as scary as it might sound. 

The Horchata Cult is just one of many 'cults' that have taken over TikTok. Thankfully, these cults don't usually have any sort of religious affiliation. Instead, they're typically a group of TikTok users who are passionate about a certain topic. 

The Horchata Cult was started on April 25 by Horchata Soto with the explicit goal of taking over the platform. Horchata is a prominent user on TikTok, and he started a trend of appreciation for tacos and Hispanic food more generally. 

Horchata's real name is Jorge, and he's a teenage content creator who lives in Rhode Island. Horchata has amassed more than 900,000 followers on TikTok, and he typically posts comedy or challenge videos. Since starting the Horchata Cult, it's become a viral trend across the platform, and it's one that any user on TikTok can join. 

Anyone is allowed to join the Horchata Cult. The only requirement is that you must like tacos. If you decide to join, you must simply change your profile picture on the platform so that it's a photo of a cup of milk with eyes and a straw. You can find the image on Horchata's profile. Once you've changed your profile picture, you're officially a part of the cult, and thankfully, it's the kind of cult membership you can be happy about. 

Although Horchata may be the latest craze on TikTok, this is far from the first time that a cult has taken over the social media channel. The original idea behind cults sprung out of the early days of the pandemic, when people had more than enough time to kill. At that time, they were designed to be the most loyal groups of followers behind major TikTok channels. 

The most popular TikTok cult at that time was The Step Chickens, a group that was founded by TikTok user @chunkysdead, aka Melissa. As part of the cult, users posted a zoomed in photos of Melissa's face as their own profile picture, and the cult quickly grew as it spread across the platform. Other cults also sprung up around the same time, thanks in large part to the malaise of early quarantine. 

Ultimately, TikTok cults are a pretty harmless social media phenomenon. Unlike actual cults, they don't seem to inspire fanaticism or lead to brainwashing. Instead, they're just a fun way to pass the time and find other users who share an interest in a particular influencer or topic. It's another way for TikTok users to find community, and it was hugely important during the early days of the pandemic.