It was the year Shawn Mendes ran the charts, Rihanna hadn’t gone radio-silent, and we lip-synced to Drake on Musical.ly like it was a full-time job. But was 2016 really better, or just better remembered? Our Music writer, Wen Ying, rewinds the year that still won’t leave our heads.

The bowl of Samyang noodles you crave at 12 a.m. didn’t become a favorite for no reason. It all traces back to Hallyu, a cultural wave our Food and Travel writer, Ummo, will unpack for you in this article.

Our beauty and style writer, Caitlyn, breaks down the best – and, of course, the worst – looks from the 2026 Golden Globes.