It started with a casual Instagram Q&A and ended up becoming one of the most wholesome moments in modern pop history. Seriously. If you were online in 2019, you couldn't escape the phrase "I love you 3000." It was everywhere after Avengers: Endgame wrecked everyone’s emotions. But while Marvel gave us the line, Stephanie Poetri and Jackson Wang turned it into a full-blown anthem.
The original song was already a viral monster. Stephanie Poetri, the daughter of Indonesian diva Titi DJ, basically wrote a DIY hit that exploded on Spotify’s Global Viral 50. Then came the remix. Or, more accurately, the "sequel." Jackson Wang I Love You 3000 II didn't just add a verse; it transformed the track into a cross-cultural conversation between two of 88rising’s biggest stars.
Why Jackson Wang I Love You 3000 II Hit Different
Most remixes feel like a cash grab. You know the vibe—a big name gets slapped on a track, they phone in sixteen bars, and the label calls it a day. This wasn't that.
Jackson actually changed the perspective of the song. In the original, Stephanie is singing about wanting her guy to be her husband. It’s a proposal song. In the Jackson Wang I Love You 3000 II version, they tweaked the lyrics. Stephanie sings, "I want you to be my best friend." It shifts the energy from "let's get married right now" to a sweet, slow-burn companionship.
Jackson’s verse brings that signature rasp, but he keeps it soft. He’s playing the role of the guy who is actually ready to ask the question while she’s still wondering where the ring is. It’s cute. Kinda cheesy? Maybe. But it works because the chemistry is genuine.
The Music Video’s 70s Fever Dream
If you haven’t watched the music video for Jackson Wang I Love You 3000 II, you’re missing out on some peak 88rising aesthetics. They went full retro. We're talking:
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- A fictional talk show called The 3000 Cooking Show.
- Jackson in a sparkly, disco-adjacent shirt.
- Stephanie in bright purple overalls.
- Low-budget infomercial vibes that look like they were filmed on a camcorder from 1978.
They’re literally making crafts and baking a cake while singing. It’s intentionally dorky. At one point, they even do the Iron Man "snap" from the movie. It’s the kind of content that thrives on Google Discover because it’s high-energy and visually distinct from the usual sleek, high-budget K-pop or Western pop videos.
The 88rising Connection and "Head In The Clouds II"
This track wasn’t a standalone release. It was a pillar of the Head In The Clouds II compilation album. 88rising was at its peak "bridge-builder" phase here, mixing artists from China, Indonesia, and the US.
Jackson Wang was arguably the busiest man in music during this window. He was juggling GOT7 duties, his solo debut album Mirrors, and these 88rising collabs. Fun fact: Mirrors actually features a Chinese version of this song as the final track. If you’ve only heard the English remix, the Chinese solo version is worth a listen for a totally different mood.
Breaking Down the Credits
People often forget how many hands go into a "simple" pop song. While Stephanie and Jackson are the faces, the production was a team effort.
- Stephanie Poetri: Lead writer and the original brain behind the melody.
- Jackson Wang: Wrote his own verse and contributed to the "II" arrangement.
- Gregory "Aldae" Hein: A heavy hitter who has worked with Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez. He helped polish the vocal direction.
- Austin Ong: The producer who kept that acoustic-meets-pop sound intact.
The Chart Success Nobody Talks About
It’s easy to look at YouTube views and call something a hit, but the data for Jackson Wang I Love You 3000 II was actually pretty staggering for an indie-leaning pop track. It hit #1 on the Billboard China Social Chart.
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Think about that. An Indonesian singer and a Hong Kong-born idol, singing an English song inspired by an American superhero movie, topped the charts in China. That is the definition of a globalized hit. It proved that Jackson’s fanbase (the "Jackys") would follow him into softer, more melodic territory, away from his "Papillon" or "100 Ways" hard-hitting dance style.
Common Misconceptions About the Song
I’ve seen a lot of weird theories about this track online. No, Stephanie and Jackson weren't dating. It was purely a professional collaboration sparked by Jackson reaching out after seeing her viral success.
Another one: some people think it was a "forced" Marvel tie-in. Honestly? It was more of a fan-made tribute that got big enough to get noticed. Marvel didn’t pay them to write it; Stephanie just really liked the movie.
Also, for the technical nerds out there, the song isn't just a copy-paste of the original with Jackson added. The tempo feels slightly different, and the mixing is cleaner. The "II" in the title signifies a new chapter, not just a guest feature.
How to Get the Most Out of This Track Today
If you're late to the party or just revisiting it, don't just stream it on Spotify and move on. To really appreciate what they did here, follow these steps:
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- Watch the MV first: The visuals are 50% of the charm. The karaoke scenes are gold.
- Listen to the "Mirrors" version: Compare Jackson’s solo Chinese version to the duet. It’s much more melancholic.
- Check the live performances: They performed this at the Head in the Clouds festival, and the crowd energy was insane.
The legacy of Jackson Wang I Love You 3000 II is that it humanized Jackson as a solo artist. It showed he could do the "boyfriend" concept just as well as the "global superstar" concept. For Stephanie, it was the perfect launchpad that proved she wasn't just a one-hit-wonder TikTok fluke.
If you want to dive deeper into Jackson’s discography from this era, check out "Walking" (with Joji and Swae Lee) or "Tequila Sunrise." They both share that same Head In The Clouds II DNA but with a much moodier, late-night vibe than the sunshine-sweetness of "I Love You 3000 II."
The best way to support the artists now is to catch the official 88rising "Cloud" playlists, which usually keep these classic collabs in high rotation. It's a snapshot of a very specific time in music when the East-West crossover finally felt like it was happening naturally.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Compare the lyrics between the original "I Love You 3000" and the "II" version to see how the "husband" vs "best friend" change alters the song's meaning.
- Listen to Jackson Wang's Mirrors album to hear how he transitioned from this acoustic pop style into his more experimental solo sound.
- Explore Stephanie Poetri’s AM PM EP to see how her songwriting evolved after the massive success of this collaboration.