‘They Stole My Shmunguss’: Strange Netflix Category Goes Viral on TikTok

If you’ve been on TikTok or Twitter lately, then you’ve probably heard about the new “shmunguss” category that is supposedly available for some Netflix subscribers in certain regions. This category features such seminal works as The Shmunguss King, Shmonguss’ Revenge, The Shmonguss Among Us, and of course, Shmonguss’ Revenge. If you’ve never heard of any of these films before — or don’t have the slightest clue what a shmunguss even is — then you’re not alone. Here’s what you need to know about the new Shmunguss section on Netflix.

The Netflix Shmunguss Category Explained

Before you get excited and boot up Netflix on your favorite device, there’s a sad truth you have to know about the Shmunguss category on Netflix: it isn’t real. Not only is the category nonexistent, but Shmonguss isn’t even a real word. I know you’re feeling shocked and, frankly, a little bit hurt at that revelation, but you’re not the only one who was duped by this viral TikTok post.

The Shmunguss category on Netflix is a viral hoax created by TikTok user Channel Everything. The video either uses a modified Netflix client or a fake video playing back on the screen while the user pretends to control it with a remote. It’s a highly convincing fake, so don’t be ashamed if you were duped into thinking Netflix just got a huge influx of Shmunguss-related content.

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The word “Shmunguss” is just a funny-sounding phrase similar to other meme-worthy words that have popped up in recent years. Think back to the times when Big Chungus was a mainstream thing. That rabbit’s namesake is a made-up word as well. It’s just fun to say the word “Shmunguss,” which is most likely why phrases from the TikTok post such as “they stole my Shmunguss” just seem to roll off the tongue.

This isn’t the first hoax related to fake movies or television shows on streaming platforms, and it likely won’t be the last. Just to be perfectly clear, there are no Shmunguss movies. We wouldn’t complain if this post led to a wave of Shmunguss cinema from some of the world’s greatest filmmakers, though.