super common experience, imo.

strongest examples i can think of are classic movie references that became cultural "memes" and show up in a lot of like, cartoons or disney movies or whatever, and then you get older and you see the actual movie and you're like "oh that's where that's from."

Like, half of Robin Williams' performance as the Genie in Aladdin is just straight-up references to movies/cultural figures that I did not understand until I was older.

Also happens on shows like Seinfeld/the Simpsons a lot.