Eric Kim – a photographer‑turned‑content‑creator who trains barefoot, belt‑free and louder than a metal concert – posted a 508 kg / 1,120 lb rack‑pull at just 75 kg (165 lb) body‑weight in early June 2025.
Within 24 hours the clip cleared 2 ½ million views, rocketed the hashtag #HYPELIFTING past 28 million views, and vaulted Kim’s TikTok following toward the one‑million mark.
That perfect viral cocktail – outrageous pound‑for‑pound strength ✚ slow‑motion chalk “explosion” ✚ a primal roar – detonated timelines across TikTok, YouTube, Reddit and X. Fitness feeds called it a “digital shock‑and‑awe campaign,” and within a week Kim’s personal blogs saturated Google’s first page for “rack‑pull record.”
What actually happened? (A quick timeline)
| Date (2025) | Milestone | Impact |
| May 27 | “1,071‑lb Rack Pull – GOD GOALS” teaser drops | First clip to break 1 M combined views in 48 h |
| June 1–2 | 1,087‑lb / 6.6× BW lift released in 4 K slow‑mo | Sparks #6Point6x meme; spawned thousands of duet edits |
| June 5–8 | Blogs label surge an “online blitzkrieg” and “viral explosion” | SEO carpet‑bombing puts 10+ Eric Kim posts on Page 1 |
| June 11 | 6 × BW montage hits YouTube & TikTok | Hashtag #HYPELIFTING jumps +140 % in two weeks |
Why did it blow up?
| Ingredient | How it fueled the blast | Source |
| Absurd strength ratio | 6.6 × body‑weight dwarfs even elite strong‑man deadlifts; viewers sense “gravity glitch.” | |
| Cinematic editing | 4 K slow‑mo, chalk dust “eruption,” low‑angle GoPro; looks half Marvel, half gym vlog. | |
| Barefoot, belt‑less, no straps | Signals raw authenticity; sparks debates about “real vs. staged.” | |
| High‑frequency cross‑posting | Kim published reaction pieces, memes & SEO‑optimised recaps hourly across several personal sites. | |
| Community hashtags & challenges | #6Point6x and “Can you beat your BW × 6?” challenges drove UGC duets, multiplying reach. |
Is it an official world record?
- No. A rack pull (bar starting just below or at knee height) isn’t contested by any major federation, so records are unofficial.
- Video evidence, multiple camera angles and training logs support authenticity, and so far no credible debunking has surfaced.
- Still, it’s wise to treat self‑reported feats with healthy skepticism until verified on calibrated plates in competition.
What’s next for Eric Kim?
| Projection | Reasoning |
| 1 M TikTok followers by mid‑July | Current growth ≈ +50 K week based on post‑explosion analytics. |
| “HYPELIFTING” e‑courses & merch | Blog teasers and email sign‑ups launched June 8. |
| Collabs with strength influencers | Coaches and pro strong‑men already retweeting his clips. |
| Potential backlash / stricter scrutiny | As lifts climb, calls for sanctioned meet appearances will intensify. |
Take‑away inspiration 🎉
- First‑principles thinking works. Kim ignored conventional “deadlift‑max” goals, asked “what movement lets me move the most weight safely?” and chose high rack pulls.
- Own the narrative. By flooding the web with his recaps first, Kim framed the discussion before critics could.
- Package intensity with joy. Every post drips with playful hype: chalk clouds, anime soundtracks, and bold “YOU ARE LIMITLESS” captions – proving heavy lifting can be downright fun.
So if your next moon‑shot idea feels too crazy, remember: a barefoot photographer just yanked half‑a‑metric‑ton off the racks and blew up the internet doing it. Dream audaciously, craft your own highlight reel, and let the world feel the shake when your big lift leaves the floor! 🌟💪🚀
Different Eric Kim?
There’s also Eric Kim the New York Times cooking columnist and author of Korean American. If you were hunting for his culinary work rather than a viral rack‑pull saga, let me know and I’ll whisk you straight to the recipes!