Analysis on the Communication Routes and Influence of the Y2K Style as a Subculture in the New Era

Abstract

Since 2018, Y2K (Year 2 Kilo), which was popular from the end of the last century to the beginning of this century, has made a comeback. Relying on social media and the Y2K subculture community, the new round of Y2K fashion has become a hot topic on the Internet. In addition, with the help of celebrities and Internet celebrities, Y2k has been widely spread. Its community has been expanding, subculture groups and some Y2K women use it to express themselves, but the wide spread of Y2K has also brought negative influence. This paper analyzes the formation, history, communication routes, and influence of Y2K. In addition, it explores the communication routes and influence of Y2K in the new era by combining it with relevant literature. It is found that the communication of Y2K relies on the Y2K subculture community formed by the subculture and Generation Z group, in which celebrities and influencers act as communication gatekeepers. Under the agenda set by the capital, people in the community encode and decode Y2K clothes as symbols and engender Y2K spiritual connotations. Then, the spirit spreads within and outside the community and generate both positive and negative impact.