“Souvlaki, please”: chasing the most viral TikToker on the planet at Syntagma
“Feta, please / Souvlaki, please / Mouzaka, please / Ouzo, please / Please, please / Thank you, thank you / Please”. If you’re scratching your head at these phrases, it’s likely you’re enjoying a peaceful existence away from the whirlwind of social media. However, if these words ring a bell, and you can unequivocally identify the voice behind them, you’re part of the crowd that’s been swaying to the beat of Devin Halbal for the past few weeks. This American travel vlogger and TikTok sensation is taking Greek internet by storm, captivating millions with her videos where she introduces new Greek words she’s learning.
On a recent Sunday afternoon, she decided to test her Greek in real life and ventured to Syntagma to meet her hundreds of fans face-to-face. Details of the rendezvous were shared on her Instagram story just a few hours prior.
At one point, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings, she found herself near some celebrities and began heading towards the steps leading to the Parliament. The puzzled police officers on duty yelled at her to move away. With a childlike expression of mischief, Devin complied and made her way down to the square.
By 6pm, just outside the main entrance to Syntagma metro station, around thirty teenagers, both boys and girls, were eagerly awaiting her arrival. Shortly after, she made her grand entrance. Suddenly, a group of fans began to sprint and shout, moving towards the steps of the square. Devin Halbal didn’t exit from the main gate, but instead appeared directly in front of the Parliament, by the cholos.
A frenzy ensued as a multitude of children surged up the stairs and across the street, heedless of the passing cars. The TikToker appeared somewhat disoriented. Clutching her selfie stick, she repeated “please, please” into her camera and meandered around the area.
At one point, seemingly unaware of her location, she nearly walked in front of some celebrities and began moving towards the steps leading up to Parliament. The baffled police officers on duty yelled at her to move away. With a mischievous, childlike expression, Devin complied and made her way down to the square.
Behind her, the crowd of followers continued to grow.
Italian tourists standing next to her at the traffic light cast curious glances her way. They turned to me and asked, “Who is she?”
In unison, we all quickly descended the steps of Syntagma Square. We brushed past a group of Ukrainian immigrants protesting the war, their country’s flags held high. They didn’t even spare her a glance.
The crowd eventually gathered in one corner of the square. That’s when the real spectacle began. Teenagers, parents, and children alike swarmed her, eager for a video or a photo. One savvy boy, well-versed in the workings of social media, ventured a bit further down the street to Bairaktaris. He returned, beaming proudly, with a kebab for her. Her surprise sparked a fresh wave of requests for “souvlaki, please.”
@hal.baddieAthens 🇬🇷🥳Athens 🇬🇷🥳Athens 🇬🇷🥳
♬ original sound – Devin Halbal
As time passed, the crowd swelled around her to such an extent that she requested everyone to form a line for the photo ops.
A quick look at her social media reveals that this isn’t her first time causing such a commotion. Her trips to China, South Korea, and the Philippines have yielded similar, if not more dramatic, scenes.
Devin Halbal, a proud trans woman and champion of LGBTQI+ rights, primarily active in New York, has a pattern to her travels. She visits a country, picks up a few basic phrases, and then begins filming videos with her trusty selfie stick against the backdrop of iconic city landmarks. These videos rack up hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of views, making her a sensation in yet another corner of the world.
The comments on her posts are nothing short of adoring: “Our Queen”, “Miss Worldwide”, “Goddess of Love”, “Eurovision 2026 please”, “Our United Nations Queen”. Many of those who penned these words were undoubtedly present at Syntagma Square to welcome her.
@hal.baddiePicked up some new vocabulary today 😄: taxi 🚕, tree 🌳, police 🚨, kiosk 🧃, bus 🚌, euro 💶♬ original sound – Devin Halbal
Many people departed in a state of excitement, eagerly displaying the photos to their friends waiting further down the road. Others, simply passers-by, either oblivious or perhaps fully aware, exclaimed “Jesus” and moved on.
Regardless of the varied reactions, one thing is clear: Devin Halbal succeeded in shaking up downtown Athens for the entirety of Sunday afternoon, leaving the city’s residents hoping they won’t have to hear the phrase “please, please” again for quite some time.
This article was originally published in the print version of LiFO.
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