NDP crying man (2022)

On 9 August 2022, during the National Day Parade held at the floating platform at Marina Bay, Azuan Tan was captured on live broadcast with tears streaming down his face during the singing of Singapore’s national anthem at the end of the parade. His emotional reaction, genuine, unscripted and visible during a moment of national unity, immediately struck a chord with viewers and went viral.

The iconic frame of the Azuan Tan in NDP 2022. Photo from Youtube video.

Context

The 2022 parade marked a return to full‑scale celebrations after two years of scaled-down events due to the COVID‑19 pandemic. The parade’s theme, “Stronger Together, Majulah,” along with tributes to frontline workers, educators and others who contributed during the pandemic, created a strongly emotional atmosphere.

Azuan Tan, a 41 year-old secondary‑school teacher at Bedok View Secondary School as well as a volunteer and father of three children is the man behind the "NDP 2022 crying man" meme. He has also been featured on Incredible Tales as a police officer. For Azuan, listening to the national anthem while surrounded by fellow Singaporeans and reflecting on collective struggle, sacrifice, and unity triggered tears. He described the moment as a sincere expression of gratitude and pride, “my outpouring of emotion,” He said, motivated by respect for front‑line workers, educators, and all who contributed to the nation’s resilience.

Azuan Tan on Incredible Tales Season 1 Episode 1. Photo from Mewatch.sg.

He had not expected to be on camera; the recognition came only later when friends and other attendees messaged him a screenshot of his face as shown on live broadcast. Initially embarrassed and uncomfortable (he teaches in school and was worried about being recognised by students), he came to accept the attention, saying that the performers, organisers and people who actually worked for the parade deserved more credit than him.

How it went viral

The live broadcast captured his face and the cameras and production crew at NDP were quick to give the shot airtime. A freelance cameraman on duty that night later recounted that he sensed the mood and chose to focus on Azuan, recognising the emotions etched in his face. The broadcast‑team director then decided to show the crowd reaction rather than switching away.

Lawrence Wong's commenting on the moment. Photo from Facebook.

After the show, the image spread fast online: screenshots, videos, memes, and commentary appeared across social media, messaging apps, news outlets, and community forums. Some people praised the sincerity and patriotism; others made jokes (e.g. that he was crying because of the fireworks or because “back to work next day”).

Even a senior political figure Lawrence Wong (then Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister), described the moment as “one of the iconic images of NDP 2022,” highlighting its symbolic nature for many Singaporeans.

Media and public reaction

Comments referencing Azuan Tan's moment during the NDP 2022.

After the emotional moment, several media outlets followed up to interview him. In one interview, Azuan explained that he often gets emotional on National Day because of stories from his parents about Singapore’s early days. He said the parade’s tribute to frontline workers, along with all the visuals of Singapore’s progress, made him proud and overwhelmed.

Azuan also acknowledged being initially “paiseh” that he was shown crying publicly, especially because he’s a school teacher and wasn’t sure how his students would react. But over time he accepted the attention, saying that he hoped people would instead remember the sacrifices of all who helped Singapore get through the pandemic: doctors, nurses, volunteers, everyday workers.

Social‑media users generally embraced the moment positively. Many commented that they, too, felt the same surge of emotions hearing the anthem, they praised Azuan’s openness, authenticity and the fact that he didn’t seem performative but genuine. Some memes re‑imagined him in everyday situations, using the famous screenshot humorously (e.g. “me when I check my bank account,” or “me watching the rebates drop”) but most comments stayed respectful, treating the moment as one of shared national sentiment.