Today, let's look into the system called 'hype' that appeared on YouTube last August.
"Wait, isn't that just a replacement for the old YouTube Trending tab? Doesn't it just go there if views are high?" You might think that, but that's actually not it.
"Ah, people only watch big YouTubers so the small-timers (hako) can't grow. We need to help the small channels grow so we can milk... I mean, how do we help them grow?"
Oh.
"Why don't we just mindlessly recommend channels with zero subs?" At this point, you might think, 'This idiot is just delusional,' but...
Since 2023, YouTube has been intentionally and mindlessly recommending videos with low subs and views. Fellow users who watch YouTube or Shorts often will know—sometimes videos with 0 views and titles like [January 4, 2026] pop up. Those 'WTF is this?' videos appear for that reason: "To help new channels grow." However, most people...
"F*ck, why do they keep showing me 2-year-old videos with 10 views from some random kid or old fart?" The problem was that it recommended low-effort trash vids, not just professional YouTubers trying to build a channel.
"Sigh, f*ck, what do we do? So many complaints... Oh?"
Oh.
So that's where 'hype' comes in. Unlike the previous mindless recommendations, this lets people interested in a video use 'hype' points to push it onto the recommendation list.
The current #2 video on hype has around 3 subscribers. Another detail: the ranking gets a boost if your sub count is low. Even with 100 hypes each, a small channel ranks higher than a big one. If you check the rankings now, you'll see they're almost all small-timers (hako).
Basically, hype is a stepping stone for channels that have low subs but 1) potential for growth, 2) a solid fanbase, and 3) good timing with current memes and trends. It's like YouTube's version of a 'Youth Support Program'.
The reason videos featuring this character (that keep popping up lately) got hyped is because they're popular in Japan -> those videos hit the Korean algorithm. It's easy to understand if you look at it that way.
"Wait? Then can't YouTubers whose views tanked for specific reasons just make a new channel, farm a bunch of hype, and resurrect their views?"
Of course. Especially YouTubers who got cancelled and had their views trashed by 'Not interested' or 'Don't recommend' reports can make a new channel and mobilize their 'brain-broken' (hardcore) fans to sweep up all the hype. But that goes against YouTube's intent and would be 'kicking away the ladder' for actual new channels, so they probably shouldn't do it, right?
Ah.
"Users are discussing the mechanics of the new 'hype' system, praising it as a boost for small creators but worrying about potential abuse by hardcore fandoms and 'cancelled' YouTubers trying to bypass the algorithm."
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