/indigomusic/media/media_files/2026/01/20/harry-po-11-2026-01-20-12-36-37.png)
Image Courtesy: Rolling Stone
Justin Bieber has once again become the center of social media buzz after a subtle interaction on Instagram sent fans into a frenzy. The international singing sensation recently liked a comment on a ten-year-old old picture of him kissing Selena Gomez, his former girlfriend. The picture was taken during their widely reported 2016 affair. The gesture, though small, instantly reignited conversations around their famous "Jelena" relationship and has stirred up nostalgia among fans online, even as Bieber continues his life with his wife, Hailey Bieber, and their young family.
A Nostalgic Gesture That Broke the Internet
Social media erupted on 19th January, when fans noticed that Justin Bieber had liked a comment on a 2016 Instagram photo showing him kissing Selena Gomez. The mentioned post was first published on 20th March, 2016, during the on-again, off-again romance that many fans fondly dubbed as the "Jelena" era. "Long live the couple" was the exact comment that Bieber liked, and screenshots of it rapidly appeared on other platforms, demonstrating that it was from his verified account.
/indigomusic/media/post_attachments/media/G_CO-cuWoAADLlF-754285.jpg)
Image Courtesy: X
Even though the interaction was brief and Bieber didn't explain it, fans immediately picked up on it, sharing reactions, memes, and theories across X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and TikTok. The moment brought back memories of 2016 for many, reminding long-time followers of how closely fans once watched every chapter of their relationship.
"Jelena" Memories and Today's Reality
One of the most talked-about celebrity relationships of the 2010s was that of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez. For years, the couple dated sporadically, and their highs and lows kept admirers engrossed in every turn. The 2016 kissing photo, which captured the passion and drama of their time together, went on to become one of the most popular and talked-about pictures from that era. However, a lot has changed since then.
/indigomusic/media/post_attachments/elleuk.cdnds.net/17/44/1509443236-gettyimages-133853680-128927.jpg?resize=980:*)
Image Courtesy: ELLE
In 2018, Bieber got married to model Hailey Bieber, and in 2024, the pair welcomed their first child, a son named Jack Blues Bieber. Gomez, on the other hand, moved on as well. After dating for around two years, she married music producer Benny Blanco in the late 2025. Despite these happy developments in their personal lives, fan communities continue to revisit the "Jelena" legacy, with the recent social media moment proving that even a simple like can spark big conversations years later.
Fans Debate Meaning—and Conspiracy Theories
Nostalgia wasn't the only response on the internet; a flurry of speculations and conjecture was also generated. While some fans speculated that Bieber's like might have been an accidental tap while browsing, others questioned whether it was a conscious reference to the past. A few even floated outlandish ideas, suggesting Selena Gomez's PR team might have influenced the interaction or that fan communities were manipulating the narrative.
/indigomusic/media/post_attachments/738154/uploads/50187b00-fcb0-11ef-94f5-e7d604ec9da4_1200_630-565634.jpeg)
Image Courtesy: Meaww News
Furthermore, Bieber's wife Hailey's recent involvement in the 2016 throwback trend, in which she posted old pictures of herself with Justin, fueled the internet conversation by fusing recollections of various phases of his romantic past. Importantly, neither Justin, Hailey, nor Selena has publicly commented on the situation, leaving social media users to fill the silence with their own interpretations and emotions.
