From memes to stunts, music to movies, 2025 was a year where the internet came together in laughter, awe and occasional disbelief.
Whether through unexpected spectacles, quirky challenges, or digital creativity, these eight moments defined a year when the online world proved once again that a single clip, hashtag, or event could capture the imagination of millions overnight.
The Studio Ghibli filter
OpenAI’s update to ChatGPT’s image generation tools in 2025 allowed users to emulate Studio Ghibli’s animation style, sparking a viral trend across social media. Users posted Ghibli-style selfies, memes and creative videos, drawing attention from chief executive Sam Altman.
The trend also generated controversy as fans and artists criticised the use of copyrighted styles without permission, particularly when applied to dark or violent imagery. The debate highlighted ethical concerns around AI, copyright and creative livelihoods, while Studio Ghibli continued to emphasise the value of hand-drawn animation through screenings of classics such as Princess Mononoke.
Katy Perry in space
Pop star Katy Perry and five other women embarked on an all-female spaceflight aboard Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin rocket on April 14. The 11-minute suborbital flight carried them more than 100km above Earth, granting moments of weightlessness. The crew included Bezos’s wife Lauren Sanchez, CBS presenter Gayle King, former Nasa rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen and film producer Kerianne Flynn.
During the flight, Perry sang Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World. Upon landing, she kissed the ground and lifted a daisy to the sky, connecting the gesture to her daughter. The flight, fully autonomous, drew global attention and sparked debates about celebrity space tourism.
The Labubu boom
Labubu, the adorable character from Line Friends, was originally created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung as part of his “The Monsters” series. The character first gained a following in art circles before Pop Mart licensed it in 2019, producing vinyl figures, plushies and keychains for a global audience.
The craze truly exploded this year (with search in the UAE peaking in June) when fans noticed Lisa from Blackpink carrying a Labubu charm, sparking a surge of interest across social media and turning the collectible into a cultural phenomenon. Fans posted memes, fan art and short animations featuring the character in unexpected scenarios – from everyday mishaps to over-the-top adventures.
Merchandise flew off shelves, collaborations with fashion brands trended and Labubu became an international symbol of cuteness and playful creativity, proving the enduring appeal of character-driven internet phenomena.
The global rise of KPop Demon Hunters
Netflix’s animated phenomenon KPop Demon Hunters, released in June, became the platform’s most-watched film of all time, with more than 236 million global streams. Directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, the movie combines dazzling animation, K-pop energy, and magical-girl-inspired action. The film’s sing-along theatrical release in August topped the North American box office, selling out more than 1,300 screenings worldwide.
The soundtrack smashed records, landing four simultaneous Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and more than 3 billion streams globally. Critics praised its humour, emotional stakes and authentic depiction of Korean culture.
The film’s characters also became a popular choice for Halloween costumes this year, solidifying it as one of the most popular films of the year.
The Coldplay kiss cam incident
On July 16, when Coldplay was performing at Foxborough, Massachusetts, as part of the Music of the Spheres World Tour, a couple appeared on Gillette Stadium’s kiss-cam during the band’s “Jumbotron Song” segment.
Frontman Chris Martin improvised lyrics about the audience members shown on screen, while the pair, later identified as Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot, executives at a tech start-up called Astronomer, attempted to avoid the camera. Martin quipped, “Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy,” which drew further attention.
A video of the moment went viral on TikTok, racking up more than 90 million views. The incident sparked memes, satire on television and online debate about media overexposure. Byron and Cabot were placed on leave by their company and subsequently resigned, while Cabot filed for divorce shortly after.
In response to the moment, The National's Evelyn Lau discussed how the internet has made it impossible to be a good liar.
The rise of #RaptureTok
In September, the prophecy of South African pastor Joshua Mhlakela predicting the Rapture for September 23 or 24 sparked a worldwide social media phenomenon under the hashtag #RaptureTok.
TikTok users created about 300,000 posts, mixing memes and jokes with posts by those preparing seriously, selling possessions or quitting jobs. Experts framed the trend as a reflection of societal anxiety during a time of political and economic instability. When the dates passed without incident, reactions ranged from disappointment to reinterpretation, continuing the long-standing pattern of failed Rapture predictions.
The Louvre heist
On October 19, thieves disguised as construction workers stole eight pieces of the French crown jewels valued at about €88 million ($102.04 million) from the Galerie d'Apollon of the Louvre in Paris. The robbery took less than eight minutes, with the thieves spending only four minutes inside the museum. Using a furniture lift to reach a first-floor balcony, the robbers cut through a glass window, threatened guards and fled on scooters along the Seine. They dropped the Crown of Empress Eugenie during their escape, reducing their haul to eight items.
This was the first art theft from the Louvre since 1998. Within a week, two men in their thirties from Seine-Saint-Denis were arrested and additional suspects were later detained; five were formally charged. The location of the jewels remains unknown.
Investigations revealed serious security flaws, including staff reductions, insufficient CCTV coverage, outdated passwords and delayed implementation of previous audits. Museum director Laurence des Cars offered her resignation, which was declined. President Macron called the theft “an attack on a heritage that we cherish", while French officials pledged to recover the jewels.
The daring, precise heist captured global attention, inspiring countless news stories, memes, and discussions about security in cultural institutions, while the public marvelled at the speed and audacity of the thieves.
The 100 men vs 1 gorilla debate
A thought experiment that first appeared on Reddit in 2020 gained renewed attention in 2025, when social media users debated whether a hundred unarmed men could defeat a silverback gorilla. Platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and TikTok fuelled the viral discussion, which combined memes, videos and humorous speculation.
Experts noted that gorillas are generally not aggressive and would likely flee, while co-ordinated human attackers might subdue the animal with risk. Public figures, including Montana senator Tim Sheehy, MrBeast and Elon Musk, joined the conversation, while conservationists emphasised protecting gorillas, blending humour, science and celebrity commentary into a global internet moment.
