Each year, Gallup polls thousands of Koreans aged 13 and up to find out the country’s most accurate and definitive ranking of music, television, sports, and more. This year, over 5,200 people were surveyed to find out which singers and groups are the most popular across the nation: here are the rankings for citizens in their 30s and younger and citizens over 40.
Among people aged 13–39, the 2024 top 10 ranking is filled with K-Pop groups and star soloists.
1. NewJeans
NewJeans takes the top spot in the 30s and under category with a staggering 25.5% of the total vote. This is their second year in the top spot, also ranking first with 25.7% of the votes in 2023.
They held the top ranking for 13–18 and 19–29-year-olds alike, also ranking second among people in their 30s and third among people in their 40s.
2. IU
Always a people’s favorite, IU took the number two spot with 20.6% of the votes, making her the highest-ranking soloist on the under 20s list. She appears in the top 10 in all age categories from 13–18 to 50s, ranking highest among people in their 30s (first place).
3. aespa
Aespa received 13.3% of the total vote, rounding out the top three overall — a sharp leap from joint ninth place in 2023!
The group ranked highest with teens aged 13–18 in second place, as well as holding third place in the 19–29 category, sixth place among people in the 30s, and ninth place among people in their 40s.
4. BTS
Although several members are still completing their military service, BTS ranked fourth overall with 10.7% of the 30s-and-under vote, placing them highest among boy groups. They were most popular with people in their 30s in particular, where they ranked third with 9.5% of the vote.
5. IVE
IVE takes the fifth spot on the list with 10.2% of the votes. They also ranked fifth with voters in their 30s, as well as seventh among people aged 19–29 and fourth among 13–18-year-olds.
6. DAY6
DAY6 is the only other boy group that made the top 10 ranking in sixth place, the same spot they hold among 13–18 and 19–29-year-olds. They received 8.5% of the total votes, marking a new entry as the only group in the 2024 ranking that didn’t appear on the 2023 list.
7. BLACKPINK
BLACKPINK remain a powerhouse despite releasing no music this year, receiving 8.0% of the votes for people aged 39 and young. Their highest age group-specific ranking was fifth place in the 19–29 category.
8. BLACKPINK’s Rosé
Hot on the heels of her mega hit “APT.,” BLACKPINK’s Rosé also makes the ranking herself with 7.7% of the vote. She appears in the top 10 for people in the 40s too, ranking joint tenth.
9. Lim Young Woong
With 5.4% of the vote, ballad and trot chart monster Lim Young Woong is one of the two male soloists who made the top 10 this year for people in their 30s and under.
10. Lee Mujin
Lee Mujin, who many K-Pop fans know best for his music web show LeeMujin Service, rounds out the top 10 with 3.9% of the vote.
Outside of the top 10, the other singers and groups who received more than 1.5% of the votes were:
- SEVENTEEN (3.4%)
- (G)I-DLE (3.2%)
- AKMU (3.1%)
- Sung Si Kyung (2.5%)
- Zico (2.5%)
- BIBI (2.4%)
- G-DRAGON (2.3%)
- LE SSERAFIM (2.2%)
- Jannabi (2.1%)
- TWICE (2.0%)
- NCT (1.7%)
- Girls’ Generation‘s Taeyeon, Lee Young Ji, and Eclipse (the band from tvN‘s Lovely Runner) (1.5% each)
On the other hand, apart from just two enduring stars, the top 10 ranking is almost completely different for people aged 40 and up.
1. Lim Young Woong
Lim Young Woong jumps to the top spot in the older age category, receiving one in three votes at 33.9% total.
2. Lee Chan Won
Mr. Trot top-ten finalist Lee Chan Won received 12.2% of the votes.
3. Jang Yoon Jeong
11.8% of the people’s votes went to the “Queen of Trot,” Jang Yoon Jeong, placing her in the top three.
4. Young Tak
Young Tak, also known to many for his success on Mr. Trot, came in fourth place with 10.0% of the vote.
5. Na Hoon A
77-year-old trot singer Na Hoon A is showing no signs of slowing popularity despite his age, rounding out the top five with 8.1% of the votes.
6. Jin Sung
Trot singer Jin Sung, who celebrated his 30th debut anniversary this year, received 7.8% of the votes.
7. IU
Alongside Lim Young Woong, IU is the only star to appear in the top 10 singer ranking in both age categories. She received 6.4% of the vote among over 40s.
8. Song Ga In
Song Ga In, the winner of Miss Trot in 2019, was voted eighth with 5.8% of the tally.
9. Jang Min Ho
4.6% of the votes were given to Jang Min Ho, another Mr. Trot star.
10. Park Seo Jin
Like Lee Chan Won, Park Seo Jin is one of the few singers in this ranking under 30 years old. He earned a 4.2% vote share, bringing the top 10 to a close.
The only K-Pop acts who received more than 1.5% of the votes among people aged 40 and over were NewJeans (3.2%), BTS (1.9%), and BLACKPINK’s Rosé (1.8%).