Nostalgia for 2016 has been circulating on the internet over the last few weeks. People welcomed the new year by reminiscing 10 years into the past, sharing decade-old photos of themselves online. There is even a Wikipedia page for “2026 is the new 2016”.

Of course, 2016 was before the Covid-19 pandemic rocked the world and the widespread use of generative AI (artificial intelligence) made us question what on our feeds was real and fake.

Back then, people used social media mostly to stay connected with their friends and family, and feeds were free of algorithm-driven ads for products fighting for our attention.

Advertisement

Below, we take a look at some of the cultural trends and headline makers of 2016.

Travel

Song Joong-ki in a still from Descendants of the Sun. The popular K-drama helped fuel a travel surge to South Korea in 2016. Photo: Blossom Entertainment
Song Joong-ki in a still from Descendants of the Sun. The popular K-drama helped fuel a travel surge to South Korea in 2016. Photo: Blossom Entertainment

It is no surprise that Japan was Hongkongers’ favourite destination even 10 years ago. However, with the exchange rate not as favourable as it is today – about 15 yen to a Hong Kong dollar in 2016 as opposed to about 20 yen to a Hong Kong dollar in 2026 – travellers also looked for alternatives in the region.