TikTok star Emily Mariko says poignant goodbye with one last viral salmon bowl
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Emily Mariko, who rose to fame as a TikTok food and lifestyle influencer, posted a poignant farewell video the day before the January 19 deadline that will require the social media platform to either be sold to a U.S. company or banned.
In the video, Mariko is alongside her son, Theodore as she assembles her infamous salmon bowl — the dish that first exploded her large online presence to over 12 million followers. The recipe consists of leftover salmon and white rice — reheated using an ice cube — topped with soy sauce, kewpie mayo, and sriracha, in addition to toppings such as sliced avocado and nori sheets.
While Mariko made one version for herself, she also made another smaller version for Theodore as he sat in his high chair.
The video went on to receive over 14 million views with many people turning to the comments section to gush over how “full-circle” the video was, as long-time viewers of Mariko’s content have watched her get married, and announce both her pregnancy and the birth of Theodore on her TikTok page.
“What a proper way to say goodbye,” one comment read, while another commenter agreed, writing, “It’s a full circle season finale moment.”
“NOT THE FAREWELL SALMON BOWL,” a third person in the comments section wrote.
Other commenters were shocked that Mariko had a child as they joked about not seeing her while scrolling through TikTok.
“How many seasons did I miss cause there’s a baby now,” one person wrote in the comments. “I haven’t seen u in forever and u show up WITH A BABY?” another comment read.
Mariko first announced in a TikTok video that she had given birth to her first child in July 2024. At the time the influencer wrote the caption: “One month of Theodore,” alongside a teddy bear emoji and a brown heart. The video showed Mariko sitting with her newborn on her lap as she sweetly gave him a kiss.
In response to the update, fans took to the comments to express their congratulations on achieving the milestone.
“The best thing you’ve cooked yet. Congrats mama!” one comment on TikTok read, while another fan wrote: “Congratulations!! Theodore is a lovely name!”
The social media influencer first announced that she was expecting on Christmas Eve 2023. At the time, Mariko posted on TikTok a video of her walking into her living room with a plate of cookies and a glass of milk in her hands.
After placing the treats on the table, she went on to hang two stockings, both of which appeared to be for her and her husband, up above the fireplace. There was also a third hook along the fireplace, where she hung up a tiny, red stocking for her soon-to-be-born child.
Mariko’s video concluded with her sitting next to the stocking and smiling at the camera. She then placed her hands on her face and opened her mouth in shock, to express her excitement over the big news.
Despite the TikTok ban going into effect on Sunday, the White House said it would not enforce the law since Donald Trump takes office the following day, leaving it up to the incoming president.
