“It was like a quest with multiple steps.”
Manila-based French TikTok content creator Julie Diemaus shared her experience of getting lost at a shopping mall complex in Makati City.
In a now-viral video that has amassed 2.5 million plays, 181,300 heart reactions and over 7,000 favorites, the French woman filmed herself inside a Glorietta Mall and informed online users that she got lost in a “maze.”
“@ayala malls, please explain yourselves,” she captioned in the video with laughing emojis.
“To the architect who designed the Glorietta Malls. I want your name and phone number because I have beef with you,” Julie said in the video.
“This is unhinged. I’ve been here 30 (thirty) minutes, trying to find my way out. I think I’m gonna (skull emoji) here. Um, I need help,” she added.
“If you don’t hear from me again, please send a rescue mission to the Glorietta Malls because I don’t know where I am. I don’t know which way to go. This place is a maze, it’s a (skull emoji) trap,” Julie said.
She eventually found her destination, which is Glorietta 5.
“Here we are, I have eyes on the Promised Land. Hallelujah,” the TikToker said.
@juliediemaus @ayala malls please explain yourselves 😂😂 #paristomanila #ayalamalls #glorietta ♬ original sound – Julie | Frenchie in Manila🇵🇭
According to Julie, she was able to find her way out “after asking the security guards for help.”
“I asked the guards who were very helpful! (Every) escalator, I asked a guard, it was like a quest with multiple steps,” she commented on her video.
The French TikToker disclosed that it was her “fifth time or so” going to Glorietta but she still gets confused.
She also quipped that people could “host the Hunger Games in there,” referring to the dystopian film franchise in which young people are forced to battle each other to death.
Some online users in the comments section found her video relatable and shared their own experiences of getting lost in the complex.
“I have lived in Poblacion for almost 10 (ten) years, but I can count on my hands how many times I’ve been to Glorietta. It was a struggle to navigate. I’d rather go to Megamall,” a TikTok user wrote.
“I felt the same. It took me 2 (two) days to visualize the whole mall, which is not unusual for me since I’m an Architect myself. Damn, I want him/her too! Haha,” another TikTok user commented.
“Lemme join the beef, I got lost in there and was late for 4 (four) HOURS on my first day of work, I won’t ever forget that,” wrote a different online user.
Another TikTok user claimed to have a geography professor at the university who “studied the geographical design of the Ayala Malls.”
“It’s really designed to make you walk around,” the online user added.
A different TikTok user suggested installing the Zing app, which is Ayala Malls’ app.
“Just choose the Ayala Mall you’re visiting. It has a map so you can find your way around the mall,” she commented.
In 2022, Glorietta Malls posted a video guide to help mallgoers navigate the shopping mall complex.
@hereatglorietta Does Glorietta get you going in circles? 😄🤭 Here’s a useful guide for you on how to not get lost #HereAtGlorietta ♬ original sound – Glorietta
The shopping mall also recently released another version which appeared to be a response to Julie’s video.
“Heard you guys need a tour guide. Let our #1 [number one] employee at Glo Trotters Tours show you the way, plus some good news!” it said on a Facebook Reel.
The video showed improv comedian and actress Aryn Cristobal, sent by “Glo Trotters Tours,” guiding mallgoers with helpful landmarks.
Glorietta Malls is divided into five different buildings — Glorietta 1, Glorietta 2, Glorietta 3, Glorietta 4 and Glorietta 5.
Glorietta is being redeveloped to meet the new needs and tastes of its patrons. It is expected to be finished by 2026.
Ayala Malls president Mariana Zobel de Ayala said mallgoers should expect “exterior and interior design improvements to reflect a modern and fresh aesthetic,” an “intuitive wayfinding and circulation, and an all-around more cohesive customer experience.”
