WION Rewind 2024 | Viral, nostalgic, hilarious: 11 memes that made the year unforgettable

Unless you had been living under the rock, or in a bunker with no Wi-Fi, there's no way you didn't catch the wind of the ever-evolving meme game.

From TikTok trends and Olympics swag to absurdities leading up to the US election, 2024 proved that memes remain the lifeblood of internet culture, perfectly summing up our chaotic lives.

Humour, creativity, and pop culture came together to capture moments that were as entertaining as they were reflective of our shared experiences.

While a few memes poked fun at renowned personalities for their unsolicited suggestions, some celebrated the everyday struggles, uniting millions in laughter and commentary.

Here's a look at the top 11 memes that defined 2024, in no particular order:

1. "Very Demure, Very Mindful"

This meme took off from a beauty influencer's 40-second TikTok video where she described her makeup routine as "very demure, very mindful", highlighting a point about modest self-presentation.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Jools Lebron's video, however, turned into a humourous commentary on the pressures of appearance in the digital age, triggering countless variations and parodies.

2. Look Between X and Y on Your Keyboard

This social media trend had users asking others to "look between" specific letters on their keyboards, revealing hidden messages.

3. 'Hawk Tuah'

The 'Hawk Tuah' meme soared sometime in July, with the phrase — the distinctive sound of a vigorous spitting action during oral sex — becoming an internet meme thanks to a 22-year-old American woman's animated, but innocuous, response to a question about one move in bed that 'makes a man go crazy every time'.

4. Chill Guy

If you've been browsing social media recently, we bet you've come across this character of an anamorphic dog, with its hands tucked in its pockets, oozing carefree vibes.

5. Olympians Yusuf Dikeç and Kim Yeji

Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikeç and South Korean shooter Kim Yeji stole the limelight at the 2024 Paris Olympics with their unique styles and personalities.

7. Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy’s workweek debate

Indian billionaire and the co-founder of one of the country's biggest IT companies Infosys, Narayana Murthy's advocacy for a 70-hour workweek touched the raw nerve of working professionals in 2024.

8. Moo Deng, viral baby pygmy hippo

Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippopotamus born at a Thailand zoo, became a viral sensation—thanks to her playful antics.

The videos of Moo Deng avoiding bath time and mimicking chewing captivated internet users, leading to a flurry of memes depicting her in relatable scenarios, with captions like "Me whenever someone calls me pretty." She was also featured in a Saturday Night Live episode, besides having an official theme song.

9. "They are eating the dogs"

Donald Trump's bizarre claims about Haitian migrants "eating pets" in Ohio sparked a meme frenzy on TikTok during the peak of the US election campaign.

The local authorities promptly debunked the rumours, but the sheer absurdity of Trump's claims created a wave of memes. The event also underscored how misinformation could spread rapidly amidst a highly charged election campaign.

10. "Chin tapak dam dam"

Social media does work in mysterious ways. How else would you explain a cartoon magic spell from an Indian children's animated show to take over social media timelines, years after going on-air?

View this post on Instagram

11. Elon Musk jumping at Trump's rally

Donald Trump's election victory left, among other things, a photograph of an elated Elon Musk jumping on the stage with his hands open, to live rent-free in our mind.

While the Tesla CEO's entrance was meant to charge up Trump supporters at his Pennsylvania rally, the awkward jump in a Make American Great Again (MAGA) cap became a butt of jokes, with social media users adding their own creative captions and edits.

What was your favourite meme of 2024? Tell us in the comments.