2025 was a year when culture moved faster than ever, shaped by technology, global events, and the internet’s relentless ability to turn moments into movements overnight. From unexpected celebrity engagements and viral online trends to shifts in how we work, create, and connect, the year didn’t just entertain – it reflected deeper changes in society.
As the lines between digital and real life continued to blur, cultural moments became less about singular events and more about shared experiences unfolding in real time. Some sparked joy, others controversy, and many forced conversations that extended far beyond their original context. Now, as the next year comes into focus, let’s look back at the moments that defined 2025.
1. Labubus and blind boxes
Labubus quietly took over feeds, shelves, and collector culture in 2025, becoming one of the year’s most unexpected cultural phenomena. Introduced through Pop Mart, Labubus appeared both as collectible figurines and as charms – tapping into the growing trend of personalising bags, keys, and everyday items. Now, many brands have embraced this blind box culture, launching offerings that mix chance, anticipation, and community hype, keeping fans coming back for more.
2. “Nothing Beats a Jet2 Holiday”
View this post on Instagram
What began as a catchy airline slogan featuring British voice actor Zoë Lister and paired with Jess Glynne’s song Hold My Hand, turned into one of 2025’s most inescapable viral soundbites. “Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday” dominated TikTok, soundtracking everything from travel montages to completely unrelated chaos.
Its popularity highlighted how advertising, irony, and internet humour continue to blur into one shared language. By the end of the year, the phrase had transcended marketing to become a cultural punchline and badge of collective internet memory.
3. Soft clubbing
Soft clubbing emerged as an antidote to overstimulation, reimagining nightlife as slower, safer, and more intentional. These spaces prioritised connection, atmosphere, and inclusivity over chaos and excess. The trend reflected generational burnout and a reevaluation of how people want to socialise.
Malaysians witnessed this firsthand through multiple cafes hosting events like coffee raves, matcha raves, and so on. All in all, partying in 2025 became less about going hard and more about feeling good.
4. K-Pop Demon Hunters
View this post on Instagram
K‑Pop Demon Hunters, a Netflix animated musical series, fused pop idol culture with fantasy storytelling, instantly capturing the hearts of both adults and children alike. The soundtrack dominated global music charts, reaching number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and several K-pop idols covered songs like Golden and Free, further amplifying its reach. The project reflected the growing global appetite for genre‑blending content and its success underscored K-pop’s continued power on both screens and in music.
5. Met Gala 2025 theme
View this post on Instagram
The Met Gala’s 2025 theme, “Black Elegance: Heritage in Focus,” placed Black culture, style, and history at its center, generating both admiration and discussion. Designers and attendees drew from Black fashion legacies, Afrofuturism, and diasporic storytelling, turning the red carpet into a showcase of creativity and cultural reference. Stars like Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, and Rihanna slayed the theme with bold, thoughtful interpretations, while others sparked debate for missing the mark.
6. Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance
View this post on Instagram
Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl halftime show stood out for its restraint, symbolism, and cultural depth. Rather than spectacle alone, the performance leaned into narrative, political undertones, and artistic intention. The show also featured special guests like SZA, Samuel L. Jackson, and Serena Williams, with standout fashion including Kendrick’s custom Martine Rose jacket and SZA’s red leather look.
It became a reminder that the Super Bowl stage can still be a site for meaningful cultural expression – not just entertainment. Now with 155 million views on YouTube, the performance was widely loved and will go down as one of the best Super Bowl halftime shows.
7. Celebrity engagements
View this post on Instagram
From Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa to Zendaya and Charles Leclerc, celebrity engagements dominated headlines and timelines in 2025. Fans treated these announcements as communal events, complete with speculation and emotional investment. The obsession revealed how parasocial relationships continue to shape modern fandom. Amid global upheaval and troubling headlines, these romantic milestones offered a sense of shared celebration.
8. That Coldplay Jumbotron moment
A fleeting kiss cam moment at a Coldplay concert became a viral flashpoint in 2025, sparking intense speculation and online shaming. When Kristin Cabot, the woman involved, later spoke to The New York Times, she clarified that she was not in a sexual relationship with her former boss and explained the context of the moment, taking accountability while reflecting on the personal and professional cost she endured.
The incident exposed how quickly internet culture can flatten complex human moments into viral narratives. It also reignited conversations about misogyny, privacy, and the cost of virality in the age of constant surveillance.
9. Wicked For Good
The release of Wicked For Good has yet again reignited musical fandom in a way few film adaptations manage to do. Longtime Broadway fans and new audiences alike flooded social media with reactions, theories, and emotional responses. Beyond nostalgia, the film tapped into themes of otherness, power, and moral complexity that felt especially resonant in 2025.
10. Rhode’s acquisition by e.l.f.
When cult-favourite beauty brand Rhode was acquired by e.l.f., it marked a major shift in influencer-founded brands entering corporate territory. The deal symbolised the maturation of celebrity beauty ventures, from personal projects to serious business assets. Fans debated what the acquisition would mean for accessibility, pricing, and brand identity. Ultimately, it reflected how internet-born brands are reshaping the traditional beauty industry from the inside.
11. The Summer I Turned Pretty
The Summer I Turned Pretty continued to define young-adult television in 2025, fueling endless debates about love, choice, and emotional growth. Each new season drop became a social media event, with fans dissecting every look, line, and relationship shift. The show’s appeal lay in its softness – romanticising coming-of-age without irony. It showed a broader cultural craving for emotional sincerity and nostalgic escapism.
12. The performative male
The term “performative male” gained traction as social media users critiqued men who publicly adopted feminist or progressive language without meaningful action. Viral call-outs and think pieces dissected the gap between appearance and accountability. The conversation revealed growing cultural fatigue with surface-level allyship. In 2025, authenticity became the expectation – not applause for doing the bare minimum.
13. The NewJeans saga
The NewJeans saga took a dramatic turn in 2025 as legal disputes and contract terminations – most recently involving Danielle’s termination from ADOR – dominated headlines. The situation spotlighted ongoing tensions between artists, management, and creative control within the K-pop industry. Fans closely followed developments involving former CEO of ADOR, Min Hee-jin, questioning power dynamics behind the scenes. More than a fandom issue, the saga exposed systemic pressures facing young global stars.
Discover the latest in lifestyle here.