Curious to know which K-Pop groups and artists are foreign fans’ favorite? So are we! The 2023 annual research report on the Korean wave was released on March 10th and it gives us all the details about Hallyu in 2022.
The Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE, an institution designated by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) works on this report every year. This year they expanded their spectrum by including more countries in their data. They surveyed 25,000 people between the ages of 15 and 59 from 26 countries from November 11 to December 7 about Korea. Countries surveyed include the US, Brazil, Argentina, United Kingdom (UK), France, Turkey, Russia, China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Australia, South Africa, UAE United States (UAE), Mexico, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Kazakhstan.
In one part of the survey, respondents were asked to answer, “Who is currently your favorite Korean group/artist?” They chose their favorite artist by writing their name (not selecting). Let’s find out their answers below!
Top 5 favorite K-Pop groups/artists
big hit music
With an impressive 31.3% of total respondents choosing BTS as their favorite K-Pop artist, BTS takes the top spot. There is no doubt about the fact that BTS is the biggest music group in the world today, so this ranking comes as no surprise. The group’s unique musicianship, inspiring lyrics and positive influence on the world truly deserve praise.
YG Entertainment
BLACKPINK comes in at a strong second, with 10.8% of respondents choosing the girl group as their favorite. Queens of the stage, BLACKPINK, have achieved unrivaled success around the world, dominating music charts and records left and right. Needless to say, there are even bigger things to come in the future and we couldn’t be more excited.
PNATION
Credited with breathing new life into the Korean wave with the viral sensation “Gangnam Style”, PSY’s cultural significance is unprecedented. 2.6% of respondents chose PSY as their favorite K-Pop artist in 2022. It was also in 2022 that PSY’s eighth studio album, “PSY 9th”, was released, giving another boost to his extraordinary career. Without a doubt, the impact this album had was out of this world.
JYP Entertainment
TWICE is ranked 4th overall, with 1.8% of respondents naming the group as their favorite. Known worldwide for their originality, distinctive style and impeccable discography, TWICE has established itself as a global force to be reckoned with. After 7 years of career, TWICE continues to evolve and reinvent itself, always bringing something new to the table.
EDAM entertainment
Coming in at #5, we have the only female soloist on this list, idol of idols, IU, with 1.7% of respondents naming her as their favorite. IU is one of the most successful Korean solo artists of all time. Not only is she loved around the world, but also respected by fellow artists and industry professionals. As a singer and songwriter, IU has always impressed with her remarkable skills, constantly delivering the best of the best. We can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next.
Top 5 favorite K-Pop groups/artists by country
Translated by Kpopmap.com
If you want to access the original data, you can do so from page 97 of this pdf.
Highlights
Interestingly, BTS is the #1 K-Pop group/artist in 23 of the 26 countries surveyed. Furthermore, BTS was mentioned in over 35% of responses across all countries in the American continent, which is an incredibly high number. The highest percentage of responses mentioning BTS was recorded in Argentina, with 49.9% of respondents choosing BTS as their favorite. The only countries where BTS comes in second place (the lowest position they occupy) are Thailand and Malaysia, where BLACKPINK ranks first. Also, BTS doesn’t appear in China’s top 5 list, but IU is at the top.
In addition to top 5 artists, BIGBANG, Girls’ Generation and Stray Kids appear 6 times in the top 5 of different countries, EXO appears 8 times, SUPER JUNIOR appears three times, and GOT7, NCT, TXT, KARA and MAMAMOO appear once in Thailand, Indonesia, Russia, Japan and France, respectively. The OGs – Rain appears three times (USA, Saudi Arabia, Egypt) and BoA appears once in Kazakhstan.
Soloist SunMi appears in Brazil, Ailee in Canada and HyunA in Russia. Individual members of K-Pop groups such as Jin, V, JiMin, BTS’s Jungkook, Lisa, BLACKPINK’s Jennie, GOT7’s Jackson Wang, f(x’s) Luna, and BIGBANG’s G-Dragon, appear in the top 5 of several countries as well.
If you want to read more about the data released in this survey, such as actors, idols and favorite movies. Check out the articles below:
