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Top 10 Google Keywords
crucial in South Korea
for 2024 awareness
What's on your mind when mentioning Korean culture? K-pop and K-dramas? Technology? Fashion? or Cuisine?
On the 12th, Google shared its list of popular search terms in 2023 in South Korea, reflecting what people looked up on Google throughout the year. Those keywords have a high chance of remaining trendy in the upcoming 2024. The rankings cover topics like K-content, K-pop songs, recipes, meaning searches, domestic and international news, sports news, movies, and games. The "Search of the Year" isn't just about the total number of searches but highlights terms that gained a lot more attention compared to the previous year. As a country known for its dynamic culture and fast-paced lifestyle, Korea is buzzing with trends that captivate the hearts of its people.
In 2023, the 1 st most searched term was 'Naver,' a major South Korean online platform known for its search engine, web portal, blogging, community forums, mapping, news, webtoons (digital comics), and various services including e-commerce and mobile payments. It is a comprehensive online hub widely used in South Korea for information, communication, and entertainment.
The 2nd most searched term on Google in South Korea is 'weather', followed by the 3rd "Youtube". It seems the greatest concern for South Koreans in 2023 was the climate and daily weather.
Naver was the world's first to introduce a comprehensive search feature, which compiles search results from various categories and presents them in a single page.
Google's 4th and 5th most searched terms in South Korea, "누누" and "누누 티비," both refer to Noonoo TV. A streaming platform fueled by blockbuster hits like Parasite, Squid Game, and the global success of BTS. Noonoo TV, with tens of millions of monthly visitors, became a prime target for the Korean anti-piracy coalition. It was accused of amassing 1.5 billion views of pirated content and causing substantial financial losses to legitimate platforms earlier this year, however, any rigorous site-blocking measures failed to diminish its popularity.
'Noonoo TV' is still operating illegally
In 6th place was 'Google' followed by 'X (Twitter)' in 7th place without surprises. Interestingly, "다음" (Daum) showed up right after taking the 8th place, like the Swiss army knife of the internet in South Korea.
Daum is a search engine, email provider, news aggregator, and even has its own maps and finance services. It covers a spectrum of services, picturing it as the one-stop digital playground where Koreans hang out, search for stuff, read news, and connect in forums. The rise of Naver and Daum demonstrates essentially the all-in-one toolkit of the South Korean internet.
The 9th was '툰코" (TOONKOR) followed by "Tomorrow's Weather" in 10th place. Toonkor is known as a website that provides a platform for users to read webtoons, which are digital comics or manhwa (만화) in Korean. Webtoons have gained significant popularity in South Korea and internationally, offering a diverse range of genres, art styles, and storytelling formats.
Toonkor's got all the vibes you need with webtoons covering everything from romance to action, drama, and fantasy – something for every mood! Their setup is super chill and user-friendly, making it a breeze to find the perfect webtoon. And guess what? Most of them won't cost you a dime!
What's cool about Toonkor is they're always in the loop with the latest trends. Fresh webtoons pop up regularly, so you're never out of the loop. Plus, they've got this nifty recommendation thing going on. It learns what you like, so you'll stumble upon webtoons that match your taste effortlessly. However, It's essential to be aware of the legal and ethical considerations when using such platforms. Accessing copyrighted content without proper authorization may have legal consequences.
What else is on the list?
Google has also released detailed rankings by categories, such as recipes, songs, search for meanings, and domestic and overseas News. To kick things off, globally, 'bibimbap' claimed the top spot in the recipe category, underscoring the worldwide fascination with Korean cuisine. While bibimbap did secure a place in the domestic user's recipe rankings, a plethora of Korean menu recipes, including 'garlic pickles,' 'oyster muchim,' 'radish chae,' 'green onion kimchi,' and 'suyuk,' earned significant attention and interest.
Global and national rankings for this year's search term '"recipes"
In the Global Ranking Song category, "アイドル (Idol) " from Yoasobi made the top on the list, while Jason Aldean's "Try That in A Small Town" and "Unholy" from Sam Smith came after, demonstrating diverse listeners in South Korea.
Meanwhile, in the homeland of K-pop, it was all about girl power! (Girls)' "Queencard" rightfully claimed the throne at No. 1 in the Korean K-pop song ranking. The playlist was a girl-group extravaganza, with NewJeans, IVE, and LE SSERAFIM songs flooding the charts. NewJeans, in particular, was the VIP of the party, dropping not one, not two, but four chart-topping hits. Looks like 2023 is officially the year of NewJeans ruling the K-pop kingdom!
Global and national rankings for this year's search term "songs"
In the search rankings, "Jamboree" a term known to Scouts but less familiar to Korean users, claimed the top spot. Following closely was "Ditto" associated with the same concept as "ETA" the title of a renowned song by NewJeans, securing the second and third positions. This underscores the impact and influence of NewJeans on search trends.
Year 2023's "meaning search" ranking
2023 had its fair share of events at home and abroad, sparking interest in search engines, and social and political issues, which became hot topics in both domestic and international news. The year also saw a bunch of new K-pop and K-content releases that kept people glued to their mobile screens.
In K-pop, female singers and idols stood out, grabbing the spotlight. In the world of K-content, TV shows featuring fresh and diverse material climbed to the top of the search rankings, adding an exciting twist to the year's search trends.
Korean content remains widely popular globally, with many Korean keywords making a strong showing.
Wish to know a bit more about the Korean language and culture? You can continue your Korean language journey with us and like-minded people by booking a private tutor or group course at LingoClass' office in London.