The Y2K vibe in OPM album covers
- angelinemtanqueco
- Jun 9, 2022
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 28, 2023
Published online for a course requirement: https://www.facebook.com/hourkive/videos/493479535599744
Video by Angeline Tanqueco
Did you know that the term Y2K is short for the “year 2000?” Y2K was actually a computer bug that, as the Gen-Z say, “shook” the world.
Also called the “Millennium Bug” or the “Year 2000 bug,” Y2K was a problem in computer programs regarding the abbreviation of years. Back then, to save some memory space, many computers were designed to shorten or abbreviate four-digit years into two. So, “97,” is recognized as “1997.”
You know how K-Pop fans call their idols by the last two digits of their birth year? Like the iconic 97s of the 3rd generation of K-Pop with Jungkook of BTS, Eun woo of Astro, Mingyu, DK, and The8 of Seventeen, Got7’s Yugyeom and BamBam and Jaehyun of NCT. The brains of these fans can instantly refer to or identify these idols as the 97s. Much like old computers way back until the 1900s.
What shook the world was that this coding of computerized systems is not able to recognize “00” as 2000. And so, as the year 1999 comes close to its end, came the fear of inaccurate records, failure of software operation, and malfunctioning hardware. Any device operating with computer chips was projected to be at risk as well.
The Y2K bug was resolved with the efforts of tech teams from businesses and governments of the USA and UK. That, and some billion dollars. Software and hardware companies were able to fix the flaw with a program that is “Y2K compliant.” Simply put, years were expanded to a four-digit format.
Eventually, the term Y2K was adapted to be the period between the late 90s and early 2000s, a somewhat technological boom that met pop culture.
Today, Y2K is back as an aesthetic and a vibe.
Do you like the aesthetic of the solo album of Red Velvet’s Joy, “Hello?” How about the cover of Somi’s hit single “DUMD DUMB?” Or Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album “Sour?”
And if you are a fan of some straight out of cool Pinterest boards “it girl vibe,” check these album covers of some of the women icons of OPM.
Yes, Original Pilipino Music (OPM) hopped on the Y2K print too! And they served.
From the ever kikay Jolina Magdangal to Asia’s songbird Regine Velasquez, check these emblematic Y2K album covers of OPM.
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