Pop culture thrived this summer, from dramatic reality television finales to viral celebrity scandals. This summer’s pop culture moments delivered a mix of drama, nostalgia and unexpected twists that had everyone talking.
From the emotional highs of “Love Island USA,” the final season of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” and the return of “Squid Game,” television kept fans hooked. Meanwhile, a kiss-cam scandal, Trisha Paytas conspiracy theories and the rise of the Labubu charm kept timelines buzzing and group chats busy, collectively shaping the summer’s cultural conversation.
The reality television series “Love Island USA” garnered significant attention this summer. The show concluded its seventh season with Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales becoming the first couple of Latin descent to win the
competition. The pair opted to split the $100,000 prize.
The dating show, aired on Peacock, places contestants known as “islanders,” in a luxury villa in Fiji, where they must couple up to avoid elimination. Throughout the season, islanders participate in challenges, form relationships and stir up drama. The show encourages audience participation as contestants must also win the hearts of the public, who ultimately vote on who stays and who leaves the villa.
Amaya Espinal, nicknamed “Amaya Papaya” by fans, quickly became a fan favorite due to her authenticity and vulnerability. The Dominican-American from New York City entered the villa as a “bombshell” in the fourth episode and coupled up with three men before finding her match in Arenales. She earned praise for her emotional resilience in the villa and memorable one-liners, including her made-up songs.
“I never said I was perfect. I never said I didn’t have any flaws…At least I’m my own best friend,” she sang in one episode while getting ready in her muumuu, which is a loose-fitting, long and patterned dress of Hawaiian origin.
“If I’m not your cup of tea, don’t drink it,” she said in another episode. Another fan-favorite couple, dubbed “Nicolandria,” formed when Nic Vansteenberghe and Olandria Carthen finally coupled up. Though Vansteenberghe showed early interest in Carthen, he remained coupled with Cierra Ortega until her removal just before the finale, which was due to the resurfacing of social media posts that showed her using a racial slur. Fans championed Nicolandria’s slow-burning romance, and the pair ultimately finished as runners-up.
Outside the villa, love triangles continued to dominate popular culture. “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” based on Jenny Han’s book series, aired its final season, following the emotional saga and the love triangle between Isabel “Belly” Conklin and brothers Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher. The coming-of-age series sparked debate as audiences chose either “Team Conrad” or “Team Jeremiah.” The discourse is reminiscent of the “Twilight” series’ “Team Edward” vs. “Team Jacob” era in the late 2000s. Alongside romance, the show also explored themes of grief, heartbreak and personal growth.
The third and final season of “Squid Game” was also a highly anticipated summer release, garnering a record-breaking 60.1 million views in just three days. The Korean dystopian drama cemented itself as a hit show since its first season, released in 2021. The show follows contestants facing financial hardship who compete in deadly children’s games for a grand prize of 45.6 billion Korean won (approximately $31.4 million).
Season three centers on Gi-hun’s return to the games, now fueled by a mission of seeking justice and revenge against the mysterious Front Man, who was recently revealed as the overseer of the games.
One unexpected scandal made headlines when a couple hid from the kiss cam at a Coldplay concert in Foxborough, Mass. “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy,” joked lead singer Chris Martin. The truth proved juicier: the pair, both married to other people, were revealed to be having an affair. The participants were Andy Byron, the chief executive officer of Astronomer, and Kristin Cabot, the company’s chief people officer, who both resigned.
In a clever reference to the scandal, Astronomer named Martin’s ex-wife, Gwyneth Paltrow, as their interim spokesperson.
In another viral moment, internet personality Trisha Paytas gave birth to her third child, Aquaman Moses Paytas‑Hacmon, reigniting a popular conspiracy theory that Paytas gives birth to reincarnated celebrities.
Some fans believe Paytas‑Hacmon is the reincarnation of Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, as he was born 10 days prior to the rock legend’s death.
The theory first began in 2022 when Paytas gave birth to her first child, Malibu Barbie Paytas‑Hacmon, minutes after Queen Elizabeth II died. The conspiracy continued when the birth of her second child, Elvis Paytas‑Hacmon, was linked to the death of Pope Francis, although the events were almost a year apart.
Another popular trend this summer was the Labubu, an eerily cute bag charm that went from a niche collectible to a mainstream obsession. Once popular with toy collectors, Labubu
charms were suddenly spotted on Marc Jacobs bags and even at Paris Fashion Week. The rise of the Labubu charm sparked debate about whether it was stylish or tacky.
“Why would anyone spend $1000 plus to have an ugly stuffed animal on it?” read one viral comment on Reddit.
Although summer was fleeting and school is quickly approaching, these popular culture moments will remain memorable in TikToks, memes and group chats through seasons to come.