'2016 vibes' sweeping social media... Why Gen Z is fixated on 10 years ago [The World in Z Mode]

'2016' Trend Going Viral on Social Media
Nostalgia Grows for a Past with Less Economic Pressure
Experts: "The Greater the Uncertainty, the Stronger the Nostalgia"

Editor's NoteGeneration Z (those born from the late 1990s to the early 2010s) is leading culture and trends in a rapidly changing era and is drawing attention as a generation that is setting new standards across society. In [The World in Z Mode], we shed light on the lives and values of Gen Z around the world and examine how they are transforming society.

Among Gen Z in the United States, the so‑called "2016 vibes" is rapidly spreading as a new trend. On social networking services (SNS) such as TikTok and Instagram, videos using music from the mid‑to‑late 2010s are being uploaded one after another, and content that compares one's past and present under the phrase "2026 is the new 2016" is also drawing attention. This appears to reflect not just a simple retro craze, but a longing for a time when the cost of living felt relatively less burdensome.

"I miss the old days"... '2016 vibes' spreading on TikTok

The U.S. business magazine Fortune highlighted the recently spreading 2016 craze, analyzing that "The '2016 vibes' that Gen Z is obsessed with are not just simple nostalgia for pastel‑tone Instagram filters," and adding, "Behind it lie economic and cultural shifts." It continued, "The days of cheap Uber rides, low delivery fees, and a free‑wheeling internet are gone," and said, "On the surface, it may look like a lighthearted fad, but the (2016 craze) is a more structural phenomenon."

In fact, in the first week of January this year, searches for "2016" on TikTok surged by more than 450 percent, and it is estimated that over 1.6 million videos celebrating the 2016 mood have been uploaded. Most of the content consists of posting photos taken in the past or recreating memories with songs that were popular at the time playing in the background.

If you search for '2016 vibes' on social networking services (SNS) like TikTok, posts related to the year 2016 appear one after another. TikTok

This trend appears to stem from changes in the economic environment. In the 2010s, Amazon and Netflix kept their prices relatively low in order to expand their user bases, and platform companies such as Uber also set their service fees low to increase market share. As a result, consumers were able to use everyday services such as transportation and delivery at relatively low cost.

In contrast, Gen Z has not experienced this environment. The consumer landscape in which people could travel late at night without much financial burden or order delivery food at a low cost is no longer the norm. Today, higher surcharges on transportation and rising delivery fees have significantly increased the perceived cost of living. Fortune explained that the "'2016 vibes' trend" is a phenomenon that reflects a desire to seek out things that feel more natural and authentic.

The rapid transformation of the job market due to the spread of artificial intelligence (AI) has also had an impact. Since the launch of ChatGPT by OpenAI in 2022, tasks that used to be handled by entry‑level employees have been quickly replaced. As the barriers to employment have risen, and inflation and living costs have also increased, analysts say the economic pressure felt by younger generations has grown even heavier. Casey Lewis, an editor at the newsletter platform Substack, said, "The level of digital services in 2016 was not so different from now, but it symbolizes a life in which the cost burden was much lower."

'2016 photos' trend is also popular in Korea

IVE Ahn Yujin. Ahn Yujin Instagram

In Korea as well, a trend of posting photos from 10 years ago is spreading, mainly among celebrities. IVE's Ahn Yujin posted several photos on her Instagram on the 19th with the caption "2016," and Red Velvet's Joy likewise uploaded photos from 10 years ago on the 21st with the phrase "Our 2016 vibes."

Fans responded to these posts by saying things like "I miss those days" and "It brings back memories," expressing their empathy, and similar participation is continuing among ordinary users, who are also re‑sharing their 2016 photos.

Experts point to uncertainty about the future as the backdrop for the renewed focus on 2016. Psychologist Clay Routledge told the BBC in the United Kingdom, "The more people feel the world is undergoing major change, the more susceptible they become to nostalgia," citing anxiety over the spread of AI and changes in the employment environment as examples. He added, "Generations facing major shifts or challenges tend to look back on their younger years to find comfort and a sense of direction."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.