South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE) released the results of the 2023 Overseas Hallyu (Korean Wave) Survey.
Korean Wave refers to the rise in popularity of Korean pop culture content.
(Clockwise from top left) BTS, BLACKPINK, Lee Min-ho, Gong Yoo, "Squid Game" and "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" (Photos: Big Hit Music, Instagram, SMDC, Netflix)
The survey was conducted online from Nov. 11 to Dec. 9, 2022 among 25,000 respondents in 26 countries. These were China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Australia, US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Russia, Turkey, Egypt, South Africa, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
The survey asked the respondents to name their favorite Korean dramas, movies, actors and singers/groups.
The results of the 2023 Overseas Hallyu (Korean Wave) Survey are:
FAVORITE SINGER/GROUP
Respondents picked K-pop superstar BTS again as the No. 1 favorite singer/group in the survey with 31.3 percent in 2022, higher than their 26.7 percent first-place in the 2021 Hallyu survey.
BTS have topped the same survey for five straight years from 2018 to 2022. They got 10.3 percent in 2018, followed by 15.2 percent in 2019, 22 percent in 2020, 26.7 percent in 2021 and 31.3 percent in 2022.
In the latest survey, BLACKPINK placed second with 10.8 percent. This is their fourth straight year to grab second place. They got 6.5 percent in 2019, 13.5 percent in 2020, 10.4 in 2021 and 10.8 percent in 2022. In 2018, they placed third with 2.8 percent.
Korean rapper Psy placed third in the latest survey with 2.6 percent, followed by TWICE with 1.8 percent and IU with 1.7 percent.
1. BTS - 31.3%
2. BLACKPINK - 10.8%
3. Psy - 2.6 percent
4. TWICE - 1.8%
5. IU - 1.7%
FAVORITE ACTOR
Korean actor Lee Min-ho is the No. 1 choice for favorite actor among the respondents with 9.1 percent, his fifth straight year to top the survey. He got 9.3 percent in 2021, 9.6 percent in 2020, 7.6 percent in 2019 and 8.6 percent in 2018.
Gong Yoo rose to second from third place with 2.7 percent, followed by Hyun Bin who slid to third from second place with 2.4 percent.
“The Glory” star Song Hye-kyo took fourth place with 2 percent followed by Lee Jong-suk with 1.5 percent.
1. Lee Min-ho - 9.1%
2. Gong Yoo - 2.7%
3. Hyun Bin - 2.4%
4. Song Hye-kyo - 2%
5. Lee Jong-suk - 1.5%
FAVORITE KOREAN DRAMA
For the second straight year, Netflix’s “Squid Game” topped the survey for favorite Korean drama with 11.3 percent.
“Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” starring Park Eun-bin, grabbed second place with 2.8 percent followed by the zombie series “All of Us Are Dead” with 2.6 percent.
“Business Proposal,” starring Ahn Hyo-seop, Kim Se-jeong, Kim Min-kyu and Seol In-ah, placed third in the survey with 1.9 percent followed by “Crash Landing on You,” starring real-life couple Hyun BIn and Son Ye-jin, with 1.9 percent.
In the 2021 survey, the top five were “Squid Game,” “Crash Landing on You,” “Vincenzo,” “The Penthouse” and “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha.”
1. “Squid Game” - 11.3 percent
2. “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” - 2.8%
3. “All of Us Are Dead” - 2.6%
4. “Business Proposal” - 1.9%
5. “Crash Landing on You” - 1.9%
FAVORITE KOREAN MOVIE
The Oscar-winning film “Parasite” topped the survey for favorite Korean movie with 9.1 percent, its fourth straight year to top the survey.
The 2016 zombie film “Train to Busan,” starring Gong Yoo, placed second with 6.9 percent followed by “Carter” with 2.5 percent, “Hunt” with 2 percent” and “20th Century Girl” with 1.8 percent.
1. “Parasite” - 9.1%
2. “Train to Busan” - 6.9%
3. “Carter” - 2.5%
4. “Hunt” - 2%
5. “20th Century Girl” - 1.8%