Research firm Gallup Korea conducted a survey in 2024, which ran from July to November, asking 5,281 individuals aged 13 and over across South Korea (excluding Jeju Island) to name up to three of their favorite singers or groups active in the Korean popular music scene, to compile the 2024 “Singer of the Year” ranking.
The results showed that among the under 40 group (13-39 years old), the girl group NewJeans ranked first with 25.5% support. This is the second consecutive year that NewJeans has ranked first in this survey category.
NewJeans, consisting of 5 members (Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, Hyein), has made a remarkable rise from 5th place in their debut year (2022) to first place in 2023.
Even amid the controversy surrounding their management company (which erupted in April), they were still recognized as the top pick of 2024. NewJeans showed their strength by surpassing long-time favorites like IU, Blackpink, and BTS.
In second place among singers voted by people under 40 is IU (20.6% of the votes). Debuting in 2008, IU is a singer-songwriter and is also famous as an actress in dramas and movies.
She has consistently ranked high in the "Singer of the Year" categories since 2011, including first place in 2014 and 2017. This year, she successfully concluded a world tour with 31 performances in 12 countries, attracting 500,000 spectators.
Third place went to aespa, a four-member girl group (Karina, Winter, Giselle, NingNing) that debuted in 2020, with 13.3% of the votes. Fourth place went to BTS (10.7%) - a boy group that promises to return as a full seven-member group in 2025 after completing their military service.
In fifth place was IVE (10.2%), followed by DAY6 (8.5%) in sixth place, Blackpink (8.0%) in seventh place, and Rose (7.7%) in eighth place. Lim Young Woong (5.4%) ranked ninth, while Lee Mu Jin (3.9%) ranked 10th.
Among those aged 40 and over, trot singer Lim Young Woong topped the list with 33.9% support. He has topped the poll for the fifth consecutive year.
