In Asia, Europe, and Latin America, K-pop is the most popular Hallyu content, while in North America, Africa, and Oceania, Korean food (K-food) garners the most interest.
According to the “2024 Global Hallyu Trend Analysis Report” published by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange on the 25th, K-pop accounted for the largest share of Hallyu content-related reports in Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
In Asia, K-pop made up 35.4% of the reports; in Europe, 25.1%; and in Latin America, 34.9%.
In Asia, the focus was on BTS and Blackpink, while in Europe, media reports concentrated on chart records by K-pop artists. In Latin America, news mainly covered the visits and world tours of Korean idols.
In North America, Korean food led with 26.7%, surpassing K-pop by 3.2 percentage points. In particular, reports about kimchi and the popularity of spicy noodles like Buldak Bokkeummyeon saw a surge in search volume and mentions on social media in the US and Canada.
In Africa and Oceania, Korean food accounted for 38.0% and 30.0%, respectively, while K-pop held 22.6% and 26.7%. These continents mainly reported on the opening of Korean restaurants.
By country, India (905 reports), the US (769), Thailand (461), Türkiye (301), and the Philippines (273) had the most Hallyu-related coverage.
In India (41.0%), Thailand (37.5%), and the Philippines (32.6%), K-pop had the highest share, while in the US, Korean food (27.0%) was the most popular. In Türkiye, Korean dramas (29.6%) captured the most attention.
Korean films and dramas also received widespread interest across various countries. Movies like “Payo,” “Veteran 2,” “The Outlaws 4,” and “Concrete Utopia,” as well as dramas such as “Squid Game 2,” “The Queen of Tears,” and “Run Away with the Prey,” were frequently mentioned.
The “Korea House,” operated on an unprecedented scale at last year’s Paris Olympics, was noted for effectively serving as a cultural hub to introduce Korean culture abroad.
BTS member Jin’s torch relay, the “Korea Season 2024” event, and coordinated group cheering events using light sticks received high praise in foreign media and on social media.
This study collected and analyzed approximately 680,000 pieces of Hallyu-related material, including articles and social media content from over 30 countries worldwide, from October 2023 to September 2024.
Chae Soo-hee, the Policy Manager for Overseas Promotion at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, “We created this report by consolidating the Ministry’s media analysis capabilities. We will strive to provide timely and various analytical data to contribute to the establishment of tailored Hallyu policies and business strategies for each country and continent.”
(Photos provided by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Yonhap News)