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K-pop most popular aspect of Korea globally, survey finds

Published: 07 Apr. 2025, 10:26 Updated: 07 Apr. 2025, 17:09

BTS performs at the "Permission to Dance on Stage — Seoul" concert held at Jamsil Stadium in Songpa District, southern Seoul, in March 2022. [BIGHIT MUSIC]

K-pop continues to be the most recognized image of Korea among global fans of Korean culture, according to a survey released Monday by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange.

In the 2025 Global Hallyu Survey, based on 2024 data, 17.8 percent of respondents who had experienced Korean culture named K-pop as the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Korea.

It was followed by Korean food at 11.8 percent, TV dramas at 8.7, beauty products at 6.4 and films at 5.6. For the first time since 2012, IT products and brands fell out of the top five, ranking at 5.1 percent.

BTS ranked as the most popular K-pop act for the seventh year in a row at 24.6 percent, followed by Blackpink at 12.3 percent. Individual members like BTS’s Jungkook and Blackpink's Lisa also ranked highly at 1.8 percent and 1.7 percent, respectively.

Overall, 70.3 percent of respondents expressed favorable views of Korean cultural content. The Philippines recorded the highest favorability at 88.9 percent, followed by Indonesia at 86.5, India at 84.5 and Thailand at 82.7.

Negative perceptions of Hallyu are also rising. About 37.5 percent said they held unfavorable views of Korean pop culture, with the highest rates in India at 52.7 percent and the United Arab Emirates at 52.

Respondents spent an average of 14 hours per month consuming Korean cultural content, up 2.3 hours from the previous year. Dramas and variety shows were the most consumed, at 17.5 and 17 hours respectively.

Netflix's hit series "Squid Game" (2021-) was the most preferred Korean drama for the fourth straight year at 9.7 percent, followed by "Queen of Tears" (2024) at 6.5 and "Crash Landing on You" (2019-2020) at 2.2. New 2024 titles like "Lovely Runner" (2024), "The Devil’s Plan" (2023) and reality show "My Name is Gabriel" (2024) also ranked highly. The second season of "Squid Game," released in late December, was not included in the survey.

The survey was conducted online from Nov. 29 to Dec. 27, 2024, with 26,400 respondents across 28 countries. The Philippines and Hong Kong were included for the first time.

The Culture Ministry said it will use the findings to support overseas promotional efforts, including Hallyu expos and initiatives to boost Korean cultural industries.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]