by Korea JoongAng Daily
Fans cheer passionately at K-pop boy band BTS's comeback performance held in Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno District, central Seoul, on March 21. [AP PHOTO/YONHAP]
About seven out of 10 global respondents like Korean content, with Southeast Asian regions leading the charge, according to a government survey released on Monday.
The Philippines showed the strongest affinity for Korean culture, at 87 percent, followed by India at 83.8 percent, Indonesia at 82.7 percent and Thailand at 79.4 percent.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism released data from its 2026 Korean Culture Study, which was done in partnership with the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, on Monday. The survey was conducted online with 27,400 people across 30 regions from November to December 2025.
The results highlight the continued spread of Korean culture along with its associated negative perceptions.
One notable finding is the increase in naysayers about Korean culture, with 37.5 percent of respondents reporting negative views. Compared to five years ago, this was a 6.8 percent increase. The Middle East led the answer with 51.1 percent.
Respondents saw film, music, beauty and drama as the most popular content in their country. When thinking about Korea, respondents identified K-pop as the most popular image, followed by Korean food.
This result showed a shift in the global view toward Korea, with popular phrases such as North Korea, the Korean War and the nuclear threat moving out of the top 10 keywords.
Characters, from left, Mira, Rumi, Zoey are seen in a scene from Netflix's animated film, ″KPop Demon Hunters″ (2025). [AP/YONHAP]
This was the first year to test how audiences view Korea-based content made outside Korea, such as Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” (2025). The biggest factor respondents considered in determining whether the show was authentically "Korean" was how Korean cultural aspects were incorporated, followed by the number of Korean people appearing on the production.
Movies and TV show rankings saw little change. Netflix’s "Squid Game" (2021-25) has ranked No. 1 for five consecutive years. The film “Parasite” (2019) has ranked No. 1 for six consecutive years.
For the most influential K-pop star, boy band BTS came in at No. 1.
For favorite singers, BTS took the top position for eight consecutive years, with girl group Blackpink at No. 2 for seven consecutive years. Actor Lee Min-ho has ranked as the most liked actor for 13 consecutive years.
On average, respondents spent 14.7 hours on Korean content and $16.60, which is a 0.7-hour and $1.20 increase from last year. Korean-language content, including drama and variety shows, topped the list. However, respondents spent the most on fashion, averaging $33.90 a month.
K-pop boy band BTS performs on stage during its comeback performance, titled ″BTS The Comeback Live Arirang,″ in Jongno District, central Seoul, on March 21. [AP/YONHAP]
The format in which fans enjoyed content also varied. Most people watched drama, movies, animation and music on streaming and video platforms, while variety shows on social media and short-form platforms.
Interestingly, food and beauty products were not only viewed through social media posts from actual customers but also purchased based on those reviews.
The ministry is planning to host K-Expo, a one-stop shop for everything Korean in countries including the United States and France and expand Korea 360, a global exhibition about Korea, to the United States and Vietnam in the coming years.
Reference
Written by LEE JI-WON [lee.jiwon10@joongang.co.kr]
Provided by Korea JoongAng Daily
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