“Corecore” is a term that has not yet been formally defined. As of right now, it exists as a hashtag on Tik Tok and is a trend that is participated in by its Gen Z audience. “Corecore” videos consist of a seemingly random, but specifically curated by the creator, mash of videos, audio, and textual elements. Considering this trend exists solely on social media, it is often overlooked and brushed off to be just another trend. From my view, I see “corecore” to be the transition to a new form of art, an art of this new technological era.
Social media, and the idea of “corecore,” is a great way to introduce people to the prospect of creating something that touches upon higher intellectual and emotional values. This movement takes place on social media, making the ability to create possibilities for anyone with a smartphone. This is usually more accessible than buying tangible creation materials frequently. The platform also allows these pieces to be reached by thousands if not millions of people. The opportunity for recognition and gaining an audience has become much more accessible in this way. Although this does have its downsides, considering that not everything that goes viral is of good quality, I still think the possibility through accessibility outweighs these negatives. Art transforms with society as a society and its values change, so it makes sense for the types of artistry and mediums created to shift with it.
“Corecore” explores a variety of topics, including the human condition, relationships, beauty, the natural world, and the issues of the modern day. The topics for exploration are endless. The hashtag alone has 1.5 billion views. My favorite creator who could fall under this category would be @eddoeh, who currently has a following of a little over 80,000 and 1.5 million likes. His videos consist of some of his personal writings, combined with video clips from sources such as films, interviews, the news, and some from his own iPhone. He has covered many of the general topics I described above, in addition to religion, technology, the American experience, the simplicity of love, and music, as well. Using the skill of editing and curation, he captures many philosophical themes in a brief video and audio commentary.
The power of “corecore” lies in its ability to exist amongst a variety of other content, as content on TikTok is endless and tends to not necessarily be fruitful in regard to mental stimulation. These “corecore” videos, therefore, cause viewers to think about the theme at hand and potentially stop their scrolling to do so. It should achieve what all great art does, a reaction, a moment of contemplation, perhaps a new perspective or change of mind and heart. Take this article as a sign to perhaps create a piece of “corecore” yourself. Think of themes and values that are important to you, something you want people to think about. Then consider scenes of particular movies, lyrics, quotes, poems, and prose, any preferred pieces of media that resonate with you or this theme. Finally, compile these aspects together using TikTok or another preferred editing platform, and post under the following hashtag, “#corecore.”
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