- Results of the 2026 Overseas Hallyu Survey (based on 2025 data) show a 69.7% favorability toward Korean cultural content

- Korean cultural content accessed and consumed via “OTT and Video Platforms” and “Social Media and Short-Form Platforms”

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister CHAE Hwi-young, MCST), in collaboration with the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE), released the results of the 2026 Overseas Hallyu Survey (based on 2025 data), conducted among individuals in 30 overseas regions who have consumed Korean cultural content. This year’s survey expanded its scope by adding countries, such as Singapore, Chile, and Poland, and increasing the sample size to 27,400 respondents. In addition, new questions on the experience rate and popularity of characters and performances (excluding K-pop) were introduced, reflecting the broadening scope of the Hallyu (Korean Wave).

Overview of the 2026 Overseas Hallyu Survey (conducted since 2012)

7 out of 10 Respondents Express Favorability toward Korean Cultural Content;

Favorability Rises in the Americas and Europe

According to the survey results, 7 out of 10 respondents (69.7%) expressed favorability toward Korean cultural content, confirming that Hallyu continues to enjoy strong popularity and influence, including its positive impact on the purchase of Korean products and services. In particular, favorability was high in Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines (87.0%), India (83.8%), Indonesia (82.7%), and Thailand (79.4%). Notably, favorability in the Americas and Europe—where it had previously been relatively low—showed an upward trend compared to the previous year[1].

Meanwhile, as Hallyu continues to spread, negative perceptions have also increased. The share of respondents who agreed with negative perceptions of Hallyu remained the same as last year at 37.5%, representing a 6.8 percentage-point increase from five years ago (2021). Notably, the greater the interest in and consumption of Hallyu, the higher the agreement with negative perceptions. By region, the Middle East (51.1%) and Asia-Pacific (40.2%) showed higher agreement, while by age group, respondents in their 20s (42.9%) and 30s (39.5%) indicated higher agreement with negative perceptions.

Food and Beauty Grow as Core K-Culture Sectors;

Characters and Performances (Excluding K-Pop) Also Show Growth Potential

When asked about the popularity of Korean cultural content by sector in their home countries, respondents ranked the following highest: food (55.1%), music (54.0%), beauty (52.6%), drama (51.3%), and film (48.9%). Experience rates were highest for food (78.0%), film (77.9%), drama (72.9%), music (71.9%), and beauty (61.8%). These results indicate that, alongside traditional content industries such as music, dramas, and films, K-food and beauty have firmly established themselves as core pillars of Korean culture. The character sector, newly introduced as a pilot item, recorded a popularity rate of 38.9% and an experience rate of 52.6% in respondents’ respective countries, levels comparable to other sectors, while performances, excluding K-pop, showed a popularity rate of 34.4% and an experience rate of 35.1%, indicating that the sector is still in its early stages of growth.

For the ninth consecutive year, K-pop (17.5%) ranked first as the image most associated with Korea, followed by Korean food (12.1%), dramas (9.5%), beauty (6.2%), and films (5.9%), showing the same pattern as the previous year. In contrast, previously top-ranking items, such as “the Korean War” and “North Korea’s nuclear threat / risk of war,” fell outside the top 10, demonstrating a shift in perceptions of Korea from external threats to K-Culture.

Content Incorporating Korean Cultural Elements Perceived as “Korean Cultural Content” While

Cross-Cultural Convergence Content Seen as “Appealing” and “Trendy”

This year’s survey also, for the first time, examined perceptions of content not produced in Korea but incorporating Korean cultural elements, such as KPop Demon Hunters. When asked about the most important factor for recognizing content as Korean cultural content, “content that reflects Korean cultural elements” ranked first at 23.3%, followed by “content featuring a significant number of Korean people (21.8%)” and “content set in Korea (19.1%).” Meanwhile, “content produced by a Korean director or production company (18.0%)” ranked fourth, indicating that Hallyu audiences place greater emphasis on a content’s cultural identity than on whether it was produced in Korea.

Overall, respondents expressed positive perceptions of Korean cultural content that incorporates elements of other cultures. The responses “appealing” and “trendy” both recorded the highest agreement at 60.0%, followed by “easy to accept” (57.3%) and “creative” (55.0%), each receiving majority support. However, regional differences were observed[2]: while the Middle East recorded over 60% agreement across all items, Europe showed comparatively lower agreement levels at around 50% for all items.

Popular Content such as “Squid Game” and “Parasite” Continue to Enjoy Strong Popularity

In terms of preferred content, such as dramas and films, existing favorites continued to dominate. The Netflix drama Squid Game (12.4%) ranked first for the fifth consecutive year, while the film Parasite (8.4%) was selected as the most popular film for the sixth consecutive year. In the drama sector, new titles such as When Life Gives You Tangerines (4.6%, 2nd) and Bon Appétit, Your Majesty (2.1%, 3rd) made strong entries into the rankings. In contrast, in the film sector, new releases remained in the 1% range, indicating that the preference for established titles remains strong. In the newly introduced question on the “most influential Hallyu star,” BTS topped the list at 6.9%. Notably, esports player Faker (1.9%) entered the rankings, demonstrating that Hallyu is diversifying into the gaming sector. BTS (21.9%) ranked first as the most preferred musical act for the eighth consecutive year, while BLACKPINK (12.6%) ranked second for the seventh consecutive year. Among actors, LEE Min-ho (7.1%) ranked first for the 13th consecutive year.

Average Monthly Consumption of Korean Cultural Content Reaches 14.7 Hours, with Average Spending of USD 16.6 Per Sector

Influence of Hallyu on Purchases of Korean Products and Services Rises Steadily to 64.8%

The average monthly time spent consuming Korean cultural content was 14.7 hours, and the average expenditure per sector was USD 16.6, representing increases of 0.7 hours and USD 1.2, respectively, from the previous year. By sector, excluding Korean language learning (23.8 hours), which requires repeated study, consumption time was highest in content sectors such as dramas (18.3 hours), variety shows (17.7 hours), and games (16.8 hours). In terms of spending, higher expenditures were observed in consumer goods sectors such as fashion (USD 33.9), beauty (USD 29.7), and food (USD 24.9), as well as in Korean language learning (USD 29.3). However, the share of Korean cultural content consumption relative to overall cultural content consumption remained at 24.9%, the same as the previous year, indicating intensifying competition in the global content market.

The most frequently cited reason for purchasing Korean products and services was “quality (61.8%),” followed by “price (43.0%)” and “ease of use (33.4%),” largely consistent with the previous year. The proportion of respondents indicating that Hallyu influences their purchase decisions reached 64.8%, continuing an upward trend from 57.9% in 2023 and 63.8% in 2024.

Content Accessed via “OTT and Video Platforms” and “Social Media and Short-Form Platforms”;

Consumer Goods Accessed through “Online and Offline Retailers”

To reflect changes in the media consumption environment, this year’s survey subdivided the previous “online and mobile platforms” sector into “OTT and video platforms” and “social media and short-form platforms.” The results showed that content, such as dramas, films, animation, and music, was most frequently accessed through “OTT and video platforms.” In contrast, variety shows were most commonly accessed through “social media and short-form platforms.” This indicates that content consumption patterns are being reshaped around short-form videos in addition to traditional video platforms.

For food, beauty, and fashion, the highest points of contact were online and offline retail channels. For food and beauty, user-generated content such as SNS reviews, videos, and photos ranked second, reflecting a tendency for consumers to make purchase decisions based on real user experiences. In the case of fashion, “Korean video content (42.4%)” and “brand and Hallyu star promotional videos and photos on social media (37.8%)” ranked second and third, respectively, reflecting a pattern in which products worn by Hallyu stars generate consumer interest.

Based on the findings of this survey and the “Framework Act on the Promotion of Hallyu Industry,” first implemented last year, the MCST plans to strengthen the foundation of the K-culture industry. In collaboration with relevant ministries, the MCST plans to host “K-Expo,” a comprehensive Hallyu exhibition, in countries such as the United States, France, and Mexico, and to expand “KOREA 360,” a Hallyu-related industry promotion center, to the United States and Vietnam, thereby actively supporting the global spread of K-Culture.