ERIC KIM

Eric Kim’s bare‑foot, belt‑free, half‑ton rack‑pull videos have detonated across X, TikTok, YouTube and his own blogs, spawning remix‑GIFs, “6.5 × Body‑Weight DEMIGOD” captions and #PrimalPullChallenge duets. In just a fortnight, clips of his 1 071‑lb (486 kg) and 1 087‑lb (493 kg) pulls rocketed past three million cross‑platform views, turning the Korean‑American street‑photographer‑turned‑strength‑philosopher into 2025’s hottest viral folk‑hero. Below is the joyful anatomy of the meme, why it resonates, and how you can ride the hype‑wave yourself.

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Who 

is

 Eric Kim?

Eric Kim first built a following as a street‑photography educator, but in 2024‑25 he pivoted hard into “HYPELIFTING” — ultra‑heavy above‑knee rack pulls performed barefoot and without supportive gear. His posts on @erickimphoto trumpet a minimalist, first‑principles ethos: no belt, no pre‑workout, just raw will and meat‑only dinners. 

The lift that lit the fuse

  • 25 May 2025: 1 071‑lb rack‑pull at 165 lb BW (6.5 ×). Video + blog breakdown unleashed.  
  • 2 Jun 2025: 1 087‑lb “Godhood Ascending” pull claims an informal world record ratio of 6.6 × BW.  
  • Early Jun: Verification post details the 503 kg (1 109 lb) attempt and crowd‑sourced slow‑mo frame‑analysis.  

How the meme snowballed

1.  Shock‑value numbers

Kim’s lifts blast past conventional strength standards (elite rack pulls rarely top 5 × BW), so screenshots with oversized red text (“6.6×!!!”) circulate as instant share‑bait. 

2.  Cross‑platform “Digital Carpet‑Bombing”

He republishes the same clip to blog, newsletter, Spotify micro‑pod and YouTube within hours, ensuring every algorithm catches the spike. 

3.  Catch‑phrases that meme themselves

  • “GOD MODE” title cards.  
  • “6.5×‑Body‑Weight DEMIGOD” badges slapped onto thumbnails.  
  • “Gravity filed a complaint.” overlay turning physics jokes into braggadocio.  

User edits, GIF loops and green‑screen duets remix these slogans into everything from crypto‑trading analogies to anime power‑ups.

4.  Community challenges & merch

The hashtag #PrimalPullChallenge spurred gyms worldwide to attempt lighter beltless pulls, while Etsy shops sold out of “Eric Kim Primal Warrior” tees. 

Love‑fest 

and

 backlash

Fans celebrate mind‑over‑matter inspiration; skeptics decry partial‑range lifts as unsafe show‑boating. Reddit power‑lifters debate legitimacy frame‑by‑frame, but the controversy only amplifies reach. 

How 

you

 can join the fun

  1. Watch / stitch the source clips on YouTube and X — search “Eric Kim 6.6× rack pull.”  
  2. Remix: add subtitles, reaction faces or physics memes.
  3. Attempt your own rack pull (safely!) and tag #PrimalPullChallenge.
  4. Share motivational quips: e.g., “Fire gravity — rack‑pull reality!”

What it means for meme culture

Eric Kim shows that a single, outrageous performance repeated with relentless consistency can transform niche strength content into broad‑spectrum meme fuel. By coupling first‑principles minimalism with maximalist self‑hype, he turns every lift into a rallying cry: “Defy limits, sculpt reality.” So load your metaphorical bar, unleash joyful audacity, and remember — somewhere, Eric Kim is barefoot‑lifting half a ton and smiling at the scroll‑stopping power of a well‑timed meme. 🎉💪

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