The Most Influential Korean Singers, Actors & Entertainers In 2021
Gallup Korea's Results Are Out! Complete Lists Of K-pop Idols, Singers, Actors And TV Personalities Who Made It To The Top 10 This Year.
Gallup Korea is where you'll find polls and large-scale census of Korean people's awareness and preference of many things, including hot topics related to the entertainment industry.
The below charts show Gallup Korea's poll results of the most influential Korean singers, TV personalities and actors in the year 2021.
See if your favourite Korean celebrity made the list!
The Most Influential Korean Singers 2021
Survey Period: July 8, 2021 - August 27, 2021
September 2, 2021 - October 4, 2021
November 5, 2020 - November 28, 2021
Sampling: Confidence level of 95% or above
±2% error for the group 39 and under
±1.9% error for the group 40 and over
Target: 2,401 people aged 13 to 39 and 2,702 people aged 40 and up in Korea (excluding Jeju)
Response: 17,505 surveyed, 5,103 responded, 29% response rate
| The Most Influential Singers / Idols Respondent Ages 13 To 39 Compared to Numbers from 2020 | ||
| 1 | BTS (방탄소년단) (-) (1st Place for 4 consecutive years) | 45.6% |
| 2 | IU (아이유) (-) (2nd Place for 2 consecutive years) | 32.1% |
| 3 | BLACKPINK (블랙핑크) (-) (3rd Place for 2 consecutive years) | 10.4% |
| 4 | Lee Mu-jin (이무진) (NEW!) | 9.2% |
| 5 | Lim Young-woong (임영웅) (↓1) | 7.0% |
| 6 | aespa (에스파) (NEW!) | 6.5% |
| 7 | TWICE (트와이스) (↓2) | 5.3% |
| 8 | AKMU (악동뮤지션) (NEW!) | 5.2% |
| Taeyeon (태연) (NEW!) | ||
| 10 | Brave Girls (브레이브걸스) (NEW!) | 4.3% |
BTS has won first place among those 13 to 39 for 4 consecutive years, while securing themselves at rank 5 for the 40 and over group.
IU and BLACKPINK followed, also maintaining the same ranks as last year. Lee Mu-jin, aespa, AKMU, Taeyeon, and Brave Girls were new additions to the top 10 for 2021, showing trends in the Korean entertainment industry this year.
| The Most Influential Singers / Idols Respondent Ages 40 And Over Compared to Numbers from 2020 | ||
| 1 | Lim Young-woong (임영웅) (-) (1st Place for 2 consecutive years) | 36.3% |
| 2 | Young Tak (영탁) (-) (2nd Place for 2 consecutive years) | 18.9% |
| 3 | Jang Yoon-jeong (장윤정) (↑1) | 13.5% |
| 4 | Na Hoon-a (나훈아) (↓1) | 11.7% |
| 5 | BTS (방탄소년단) (↑5) | 10.2% |
| 6 | Lee Chan-won (이찬원) (↑1) | 9.4% |
| 7 | Jung Dong-won (정동원) (↓1) | 8.8% |
| 8 | Jang Min-ho (장민호) (NEW!) | 8.5% |
| 9 | Jin Sung (진성) (↓4) | 8.2% |
| 10 | Song Ga-in (송가인) (↓1) | 7.6% |
Overall, top-ranking singers for those 40 and up are mostly trot singers. BTS are the only idols in the top 10 and it's surprising their ranking has risen from last year.
BTS showed their huge influence in all age groups, ranking first for ages 13-18, ages 19-29, and ages 30-39. They ranked second for those in their 40s and fifth for those in their 50s.
| The 5 Most Influential Singers / Idols Over The Years | ||
| 2019 | ||
| 1. BTS | ||
| 2. Song Ga-in | ||
| 3. Jang Yoon-jeong | ||
| 4. IU | ||
| 5. Hong Jin-young | ||
| 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| 1. BTS | 1. IU | 1. Im Chang-jung |
| 2. TWICE | 2. TWICE | 2. TWICE |
| 3. IU | 3. Jang Yoon-jeong | 3. Jang Yoon-jeong |
| 4. Hong Jin-young | 4. BTS | 4. EXO |
| 5. Wanna One | 5.Yoon Jong-shin | 5. Girls' Generation |
| 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
| 1. BIGBANG | 1. IU | 1. Cho Yong-pil |
| 2. IU | 2. Girls' Generation | 2. PSY |
| 3. Girls' Generation | 3. SISTAR | 3. Jang Yoon-jeong |
| 4. Jang Yoon-jeong | 4. EXO | 4. EXO |
| 5. SISTAR | 5. Lee Sun-hee | 5. Girls' Generation |
| 2012 | 2011 | 2010 |
| 1. PSY | 1. Girls' Generation | 1. Girls' Generation |
| 2. Girls' Generation | 2. BIGBANG | 2. 2PM |
| 3. BIGBANG | 3. Jang Yoon-jeong | 3. Jang Yoon-jeong |
| 4. IU | 4. Kim Bum-soo | 4. Tae Jin-ah |
| 5. Jang Yoon-jeong | 5. IU | 5. Kara |
The top singers and idols for all age groups have also been listed. It's quite an accomplishment to be in this list since it includes all age groups, and it's an indicator of the strongest music trends in Korea that year.
In addition to influential artists, Gallup Korea released an annual song list for year 2021, also divided into two age groups.
| The Most Popular Songs Respondent Ages 13 To 39 | |
| 1 | BTS "Butter" 26.6% |
| 2 | BTS "Dynamite" 9.6% (↓1) (On the ranking for 2 consecutive years) |
| 3 | IU "LILAC" 9.3% |
| 4 | Lee Mu-jin "Traffic Light" 8.1% |
| 5 | AKMU ft. IU "NAKKA" 6.4% |
| 6 | aespa "Next Level" 5.1% |
| 7 | Taeyeon "Weekend" 3.6% |
| 8 | MSG WANNABE "Foolish Love" 3.5% |
| BTS "Permission to Dance" 3.5% | |
| 10 | IU "Through the Night" 3.1% |
| The Most Popular Songs Respondent Ages 40 And Over | |
| 1 | Lim Young-woong "Trust In Me" 8.7% (↑1) (On the ranking for 2 consecutive years) |
| 2 | Young Tak "Drink Makgeolli" 8.1% (↓1) (On the ranking for 2 consecutive years) |
| 3 | Na Hoon-a "Tes Bros!" 6.6% (↑1) (On the ranking for 2 consecutive years) |
| 4 | Lim Young-woong "My Starry Love" 6.3% |
| 5 | Young Tak "Pitiful" 5.7% (↓2) (On the ranking for 2 consecutive years) |
| 6 | BTS "Butter" 4.8% |
| 7 | Jin Sung "At Andong Station" 4.2% (↓2) (On the ranking for 2 consecutive years) |
| 8 | Lim Young-woong "Purple Postcard" 4.0% |
| Jang Yoon-jeong "Call the Soul" 4.0% | |
| 10 | Jin Sung "Borigogae" 3.4% (↓3) (On the ranking for 2 consecutive years) |
One thing to note for the age group under 39 is that BTS's "Dynamite" only fell one spot in 2021, and was one of the top songs two years in a row.
Trot singer Lim Young-woong filled the charts once again for the group over the age of 40. However, BTS's "Butter" showed its influence on all ages as it entered the top 10 for this group.
The Most Influential Korean TV Personalities & Actors 2021
Survey Period: November 5, 2021 - November, 28, 2021
Sampling: Confidence level of 95% or higher
±2.4% error
Target: 1,700 men and women over 13 years old in Korea (excluding Jeju)
Response: 6,113 surveyed, 1,700 responded, response rate of 28%
The Most Influential TV Personalities Growth Compared To Previous Year | ||
| 1 | Yoo Jae-seok (유재석) (-) (First Place 10 Years In A Row) | 56.9% |
Running Man, Hangout With Yoo, Sixth Sense | ||
| 2 | Kang Ho-dong (강호동) (↑1) | 15% |
| Knowing Bros: Men On A Mission, New Journey To The West | ||
| 3 | Park Na-rae (박나래) (↓1) | 9.0% |
| I Live Alone, Radio Star | ||
| 4 | Shin Dong-yup (신동엽) (↑1) | 8.9% |
| TV Animal Farm, My Little Old Boy | ||
| 5 | Lee Soo-geun (이수근) (↓1) | 5.0% |
| Knowing Bros: Men On A Mission, New Journey To The West | ||
| 6 | Lee Kyung-kyu (이경규) (↑1) | 4.5% |
| The Fishermen And The City 2, Stars' Top Recipe At Fun Restaurant | ||
| 7 | Lee Young-ja (이영자) (↑1) | 4.1% |
| Point Of Omniscient Interfere, Stars' Top Recipe At Fun Restaurant | ||
| 8 | Cho Sae-ho (조세호) (NEW!) | 4.0% |
| You Quiz on the Block | ||
| 9 | Jang Do-yeon (장도연) (↓3) | 3.7% |
| Don't Be The First One!, Bob Bless You 2 | ||
| 10 | Seo Jang-hoon (서장훈) (↓3) Knowing Bros: Men On A Mission | 3.2% |
| Kim Gu-ra (김구라) (-) Radio Star | ||
| The Most Influential TV Actors Growth Compared To Previous Year | ||
| 1 | Kim Seon-ho (김선호) (NEW!) Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha | 7.8% |
| 2 | Shin Min-ah (신민아) (NEW!) Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha | 7.3% |
| Lee Jung-jae (이정재) (NEW!) Squid Game | ||
| 4 | Jun Ji-hyun (전지현) (NEW!) Kingdom: Ashin of the North | 5.5% |
| 5 | Song Hye-kyo (송혜교) (NEW!) Now, We Are Breaking Up | 5.2% |
| 6 | Kim So-yeon (김소연) (NEW!) Penthouse | 5.0% |
| 7 | Honey Lee (이하늬) (NEW!) One the Woman | 4.9% |
| Jo Jung-suk (조정석) (NEW!) Hospital Playlist Season 2 | ||
| 9 | Namkoong Min (남궁민) (NEW!) The Veil | 4.5% |
| 10 | Youn Yuh-jung (윤여정) (NEW!) Minari | 4.1% |
| Song Joong-ki (송중기) (NEW!) Vincenzo | ||
| The Most Influential Movie Actors Growth Compared To Previous Year | ||
| 1 | Lee Jung-jae (이정재) (↑7) | 39.7% |
| Squid Game | ||
| 2 | Youn Yuh-jung (윤여정) (NEW!) | 18.9% |
| Minari | ||
| 3 | Ma Dong-seok (마동석) (-) | 9.1% |
| Eternals | ||
| 4 | Song Kang-ho (송강호) (↓3) | 8.8% |
| Parasite | ||
| 5 | Lee Byung-hun (이병헌) (↓3) | 6.2% |
| The Man Standing Next | ||
| 6 | Hwang Jeong-min (황정민) (↓2) | 5.6% |
| Hostage: Missing Celebrity | ||
| 7 | Gong Yoo (공유) (↓1) | 3.6% |
| Seo Bok | ||
| 8 | Jung Woo-sung (정우성) (↓3) | 3.5% |
| Beasts That Cling To The Straw, Steel Rain 2: Summit | ||
| 9 | Kim Hye-soo (김혜수) (-) | 2.6% |
| The Day I Died: Unclosed Case | ||
| 10 | Jo In-sung (조인성) (NEW!) | 2.5% |
| Escape from Mogadishu | ||
These are the most influential TV personalities and TV and film actors found by Gallup in 2021. The celebrities in the top 10 are celebrities probably every Korean knows and Squid Game and Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha were some of the top productions of the year.
We must admit that all the TV personalities and actors who made it to the list this year were all part of amazing projects!
What did you guys think of the rankings? Are you guys like us and feel a sense of appreciation for their hard work?
Let's look forward to what they will be up to in year 2022!