K-pop artists have made a significant impact on TikTok, as evidenced by their activities on the platform.
TikTok revealed the top 10 global songs and artists of 2023 during the '2024 Trend Press Conference' held at the Shilla Hotel in Jangchung-dong, Seoul, on December 7.
In the global popular song category, FIFTYFIFTY's "Cupid (Speed-up Version)" claimed the top spot globally. It was followed by May Stevens' "If We Ever Broke Up," Justin Skye's "Collide," and Doichi's "Whatitis."
K-pop stars shone in the global popular artist category. BLACKPINK (3rd), BTS (4th), ENHYPEN (6th), LE SSERAFIM (8th), and NewJeans (9th) were among the top 10, with half being Korean artists. The top positions were occupied by Kim Loaiza and Selena Gomez.
In the Korean popular song category, FIFTYFIFTY's "Cupid" ranked first, followed by May Stevens' "If We Ever Broke Up." Jisoo's "Flower," IVE's "I Am," and NewJeans' "Supershy" also made it to the top five. The top Korean artists were BLACKPINK, BTS, ENHYPEN, LE SSERAFIM, and NewJeans.
Yu Kyung-chul, Head of Artist Services & Artist and Label Partnerships for TikTok Northeast Asia, commented, "Cupid not only topped the global chart but also entered the top 10 in 19 countries. Besides the top 10 artists, other Korean groups like SEVENTEEN, TWICE, and Tomorrow X Together also featured prominently in the global charts."
At the press conference, TikTok unveiled the 'What's New Next 2024' report, forecasting future short-form trends.
The diversity of TikTok's user base is notable. Analysis of hashtag trends this year showed significant increases in hashtags representing diverse user identities, including #30s (up 400%), #OfficeWorker (294%), #JobSeeker (376%), #MarriedLife (8116%), and #WorkingMom (1621%), indicating that users over 30 are forming communities on the platform.
Post-pandemic effects have led to a surge in self-development and travel content, with hashtags like #SelfDevelopment (760%), #Motivation (587%), #HotSpotRecommendation (14,8407%), and #RestaurantRecommendation (15,340%) seeing substantial growth.
K-Content continued to show global strength, especially in drama, beauty, and food. Additionally, Korean creators are actively using 'K' hashtags to engage with international users on TikTok.
Son Hyun-ho, General Manager (GM) of Global Business Solutions at TikTok Korea, predicted, "With the clear trend of K-Content spreading globally through TikTok, we expect various brands, especially in beauty and food & beverage industries, to actively use TikTok for overseas expansion to markets like the U.S. and Southeast Asia in 2024."
The role of the Southeast Asian market in the global spread of K-Content was also emphasized.
Angga Anugrah Putra, GM of TikTok Southeast Asia Operations, introduced the position of K-Content in the Southeast Asian market.
Angga highlighted how K-Content is being reproduced in various forms, from previews and reviews to sharing information about actors and characters, and its influence extends beyond music, food, and fashion to overall lifestyle.
He also introduced popular creators who successfully disseminate K-Content, such as Alex (Indonesia), a medical student who became a fan of K-medical dramas, Aida (Indonesia), who reinterprets idol choreography, and Nura (Malaysia), a Korean content creator.
Angga stated, "Many global trend success stories of K-Content start with secondary creative content by Southeast Asian creators. Considering this, the Southeast Asian market is expected to serve as a launchpad and hub for K-Content global trends in 2024."
