Lee Min Ho Ranks #1 Most Popular Hallyu Actor for 12 Consecutive Years, Kim Soo Hyun at #4
According to the “2025 Global Hallyu Survey” released by Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, actor Lee Min Ho was named the most popular Korean actor overseas for the 12th consecutive year. His enduring fame was attributed to his roles in “Boys Over Flowers” and “Pachinko”, which expanded his influence across Asia, the Americas and Europe.
Gong Yoo rose to 2nd place, fueled by the ongoing popularity of “Train to Busan”, while Song Hye Kyo maintained 3rd thanks to “The Glory”. Kim Soo Hyun, who starred in “Queen of Tears”, ranked 4th. Despite limited recent activity, Lee Jong Suk held onto 5th place for the third year.
Across continents, Lee Min Ho was #1 in all five surveyed regions. Gong Yoo was 2nd in the Americas and Europe, Kim Soo Hyun was 2nd in the Middle East, Song Hye Kyo in Asia-Pacific, and Hyun Bin in Africa.
Meanwhile, BTS (29.1%) and BLACKPINK (13.1%) held firm as the most beloved Korean music acts globally, despite group hiatuses. BLACKPINK’s Lisa ranked 5th in Asia-Pacific, and Rosé entered Middle East rankings for the first time with her hit “APT.”. BTS’s Jungkook and Jimin also placed high in the Middle East.
Notably, Korea’s strong storytelling and genre diversity were cited as top reasons for drama and film popularity, while language barriers and high costs were main deterrents.
