Hopecore

Hopecore
An example of a hopecore meme
TypeSocial media trend
FormatsVideo montages and slideshows
ThemesHope and optimism

Hopecore is a social media trend where participants share content intended to inspire hope and optimism. It typically features montages or slideshows of inspirational quotations and images, often accompanied with music. Common hopecore-themed videos include acts of kindness, personal achievements, and scenes from nature. Described as a "celebration of both little and big things in life", hopecore content often emphasizes the appreciation of everyday life and human connection.

Hopecore was started on TikTok as an optimistic offshoot of corecore. After gaining popularity on TikTok, it spread to Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, and X. By 2024, it was also being used ironically for videos that paired cheerful imagery and music with captions about personal problems.

Hopecore has been studied as a response to doomscrolling. While a 2026 study of Instagram posts and comments described hopecore as a form of communication that could encourage hope and appreciation of others, it has also drawn criticism for its simplistic reassurances and commercial exploitation by influencers.

Reception

Writing for GQ, Kieran Press-Reynolds criticised hopecore's simplistic reassurances and its commercial exploitation by influencers: "In a godless internet landscape full of dodgy influencers and grifters, it has morphed into the algorithmic equivalent of a role model for kids, who comment about how the videos have changed their mindset and leave praise like, 'This video is cleaning my ["For You" Page]!'"

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Fawehinmi, Yolanthe (19 February 2024). "What is TikTok's new 'hopecore' trend and is it exactly what we need right now?". The Independent.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Press-Reynolds, Kieran (17 January 2025). "Is Hopecore the Last Gasp of a Less-Toxic Internet?". GQ.
  3. ↑ Chandonnet, Henry (27 August 2024). "TikTok's 'hopecore' trend shows the best-and worst-of internet optimism". Fast Company.
  4. 1 2 Evans, Adrienne (24 July 2026). "Doomscrolling for hope". European Journal of Cultural Studies. doi:10.1177/13675494261468634.
  5. ↑ Typrin, Rachel; Gorichanaz, Tim (2026). ""Needed this": understanding hopecore content and engagement on Instagram". Journal of Documentation. 82 (5): 1121–1144. doi:10.1108/JD-12-2025-0383.
  6. ↑ Read, Emily (12 March 2024). "Hopecore Might Be the Internet's Cry for Help". Byline.