"Longing for 2016"... Why Gen Z Is Looking Back at a Decade Ago [World is Z-Gold]

'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 NoteThe Millennials & Gen Z generation (those born from the late 1990s to the early 2010s) is recognized as a group that leads culture and trends in a rapidly changing era, setting new standards across society. In [World is Z-Gold], we shed light on the lives and values of Millennials & Gen Z around the world, exploring how they are transforming society.

IVE Ahn Yujin. Ahn Yujin Instagram

Recently, among Millennials & Gen Z in the United States, the so-called "2016 vibes" has been spreading as a new trend. On social networking services (SNS) such as TikTok and Instagram, videos featuring music from the mid to late 2010s are being uploaded one after another, and content comparing one's past and present with the phrase "2026 is the new 2016" is also gaining attention. This phenomenon reflects not just a simple retro craze, but also a sense of longing for a time when the cost of living was relatively less burdensome.

"Longing for the Past"... '2016 Vibes' Spreading on TikTok

The American business magazine Fortune recently highlighted the growing 2016 craze, analyzing that "the '2016 vibes' Millennials & Gen Z are obsessed with is not just a simple nostalgia for pastel-toned Instagram filters." The magazine explained, "Underlying this is a backdrop of economic and cultural change." It added, "Cheap Uber rides, low delivery fees, and a free internet environment no longer exist as they once did. Although it may appear to be a light-hearted trend on the surface, the 2016 craze is actually a more structural phenomenon."

In fact, during the first week of January this year, searches for "2016" on TikTok surged by more than 450%, and more than 1.6 million videos celebrating the 2016 vibe were uploaded. The main content involves posting old photos or recreating memories with music that was popular at the time.

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 be rooted in changes in the economic environment. In the 2010s, Amazon and Netflix maintained relatively low pricing policies to expand their user base, and platform companies like Uber also set service fees low to increase market share. This allowed consumers to use everyday services such as transportation and delivery at relatively low costs.

In contrast, Millennials & Gen Z did not experience this environment. The consumer landscape where people could travel late at night without financial burden or order delivery food at minimal cost is no longer typical. Currently, surcharges for transportation and increasing delivery fees have significantly raised the perceived cost of living. Fortune explained that the "'2016 vibes' trend reflects a desire for things that are natural and authentic."

The rapid transformation of the job market due to the spread of artificial intelligence (AI) has also played a role. Since the launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT in 2022, tasks that used to be handled by entry-level workers have been quickly replaced. With higher barriers to employment, combined with rising prices and living costs, the economic pressure felt by younger generations has grown even more. Casey Lewis, an editor at the newsletter platform Substack, said, "The level of digital services in 2016 was not much different from now, but life then symbolized much lower financial burdens."

The '2016 Photo' Upload Trend Is Popular in Korea Too

This trend of posting photos from 10 years ago is also spreading in Korea, especially among celebrities. On January 19, IVE's Ahn Yujin shared several photos on her Instagram with the caption "2016," and Red Velvet's Joy also uploaded photos from 10 years ago on January 21 with the phrase "Our 2016 vibes."

Fans responded to these posts with comments such as "I miss those days" and "It brings back memories," expressing their empathy. Ordinary users are also joining in by sharing their own 2016 photos, continuing the trend.

Experts point to uncertainty about the future as the reason why 2016 is drawing attention. Psychologist Clay Routledge told the BBC, "The more people feel the world is undergoing major changes, the more likely they are to fall into nostalgia," citing anxiety over the spread of AI and changes in the job market as examples. He added, "Generations facing significant changes or challenges tend to look back on their youth for comfort and direction."