2024 Overseas Korean Wave Survey results announced: Lee Min-ho, BTS, Jungkook, Parasite, The Glory, & more lead the charts

The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, in collaboration with the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, unveiled the findings of the '2024 Overseas Korean Wave Survey (as of 2023).'

Actor Lee Min-ho clinched the first spot in the actor category, cementing his place on the list for 11 years in a row since the Korean Wave star survey began. There has been no significant change in the remaining top 10 rankings as well.

Among singers and groups, BTS and BLACKPINK occupied the first and second positions for six and five consecutive years respectively. Meanwhile, Jungkook ranked 4th and Lisa achieved 7th spot, as their solo activities created a buzz last year.

For the unversed, this survey is a comprehensive assessment of the utilization and recognition of Korean Wave content across key international markets. A staggering 68.8% of respondents expressed their fondness for Korean cultural content.

Korean website Naver stated that Southeast Asian nations, including Indonesia, India, Thailand, the UAE, and Vietnam, emerged as hotspots of content favorability. The survey also delved into shifts in interest towards Korean cultural content. 89.4% of respondents stated that there was an increase in their interest levels (45.9%) or it remained the same (43.5%).

Another noteworthy survey finding was the surge in popularity observed in countries like Egypt, India, and Saudi Arabia.

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Complete Rankings: Top movies, dramas, and artists revealed in the 2024 Korean Wave Survey report

As K-pop became the highlight based on the perceptions of survey respondents, Korean cuisine, drama, IT products/brands, and beauty products were also featured on the list, with preferences varying across age demographics.

A significant revelation from the survey was the positive response towards Korean dramas, with Squid Game emerging as the top choice among Hallyu fans abroad, followed closely by The Glory and King the Land.

Notably, while 'Squid Game' garnered popularity in Europe and the Americas, 'The Glory' established its presence in the Asia-Pacific regions. Here are the top-rated K-dramas:

1. Squid Game - 9.0%
2. The Glory- 3.4%
3. King the Land- 2.6%
4. Crash Landing on You- 2.2%
5. Black Night- 1.6%

On the other hand, Parasite and Train to Busan continued their streak as favourites among Korean films for the fifth consecutive year.

Ranked No. 1 singer/group for the sixth year in the 2024 Overseas Korean Wave survey, BTS secured an overwhelming 29.1% approval rating. Jungkook attained the fourth position in the singer/group survey with 2.7% rating.

In the Asia/Pacific region as well, BTS emerged as the clear favourite, with 31.1% mention rate. Across the Americas, the septet earned 46.4% ratings, solidifying their status as a global sensation.

In Europe and Africa, BTS amassed 46.4% and 38.5% ratings respectively. Within the Middle East, the Dynamite singers garnered 38.3% ratings, demonstrating their growing influence in this region.

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Other lists from the survey

Jungkook occupied the fourth position in the 2024 survey results. The BTS member achieved remarkable success as a solo artist, reaching the number-one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. His overall response rate stood at 2.7%.

As per Overseas Korean Wave Survey, Top 10 Favorite Singers in 2023 are:

1. BTS
2. BLACKPINK
3. Psy
4. Jungkook
5. IU
6. Twice
7. Lisa
8. Exo
9. G-Dragon
10. Stray Kids

Top 10 Favorite Actors in 2023:

1. Lee Min-ho
2. Hyun Bin
3. Song Hye-kyo
4. Gong Yoo
5. Lee Jong-suk
6. Kim Soo-hyun
7. Suzy
8. Park Seo-joon
9. Song Joon-ki
10. IU

Overall, K-pop, K-dramas and Korean culture in general have enthralled the global audience as seen in the survey results.