Top 5 most searched Kpop boy groups on Youtube Korea from 2010 to 2021: BTS “dethroned” EXO 3 years into their debut
Seeing BTS on top comes as no surprise, but other Kpop boy groups are no less outstanding.
If female idol groups are known to have high public recognition in Korea, male groups are famous for their strong and loyal fandom. Their influence does not stop within Korea but also spreads across many countries. The success of many boy groups is considered a key contributor in paving the way for the Hallyu wave to expand to the world.
To evaluate the popularity of boy groups from 2010 to 2021, the ranking of most searched boy groups on YouTube Korea over the past 12 years was announced recently, and the results are within expectations.
2010
SHINee was the most searched boy group by Korean fans on YouTube in 2010. The success of the smash hit “Lucifer” helped the SM boy group overcome top names at the time such as BIGBANG, 2PM, and BEAST.
5th place: BEAST
4th place: BIGBANG
3rd place: CNBLUE
2nd place: 2PM
1st place: SHINee
2011
Getting 1st place in 2010, but SHINee disappeared from the Top 5 the following year. Instead, their SM senior group DBSK took over the throne. CNBLUE‘s 3rd place was also replaced by Super Junior in 2011.
5th place: BEAST
4th place: BIGBANG
3rd place: Super Junior
2nd place: 2PM
1st place: DBSK
2012
2012 is probably the happiest year for BIGBANG fans. The release of mini-album ALIVE with a series of hits including Blue, Bad Boy, and Fantastic Baby have confirmed that BIGBANG is indeed the “King of Kpop 2nd generation“.
5th place: BEAST
4th place: INFINITE
3rd place: Super Junior
2nd place: SHINee
1st place: BIGBANG
2013
The battle between Kpop boy groups in 2013 witnessed the dominance of a new but strong competitor – EXO. The nation’s hit Growl brought EXO from an ordinary rookie to the top spot among Kpop’s 3rd generation male idols. BIGBANG and SHINee continued to keep their high ranks in the Top 5.
5th place: BEAST
4th place: BIGBANG
3rd place: INFINITE
2nd place: SHINee
1st place: EXO
2014
EXO‘s most glorious days lasted until the end of 2014, although the group could not release another groundbreaking hit like Growl. 2014 also marked the rise of BTS to 2nd place, and SHINee continued to compete with their juniors.
5th place: INFINITE
4th place: SHINee
3rd place: VIXX
2nd place: BTS
1st place: EXO
2015
Starting from 2015, EXO stepped back to give way to BTS‘s domination. The concept of Hwa Yang Yeon Hwa and the consecutive release of three songs I Need You, Run, and Dope became a huge success and helped BTS earn the largest fandom in the idol industry. Another prominent 3rd generation boy group, SEVENTEEN, also made it into the Top 5 for the first time in 2015.
5th place: SEVENTEEN
4th place: SHINee
3rd place: BIGBANG
2nd place: EXO
1st place: BTS
2016
The rank of 2016 did not change much compared to the previous year. As Kpop gradually transitioned to the heyday of the 3rd generation, BTS and EXO continued to be two names that competed fiercely. SEVENTEEN also climbed up thanks to the hit “Pretty U”. BIGBANG and SHINee were the only 2nd Gen representatives still holding on.
5th place: SHINee
4th place: BIGBANG
3rd place: SEVENTEEN
2nd place: EXO
1st place: BTS
2017
Impacted by the spectacular debut of Wanna One, EXO quickly dropped from 2nd place to 3rd in the most searched Korean boy groups on YouTube in 2017. Meanwhile, BTS started promoting a new album series named “LOVE YOURSELF” and continuously achieved great achievements.
5th place: WINNER
4th place: SEVENTEEN
3rd place: EXO
2nd place: Wanna One
1st place: BTS
2018
In general, the boy group battle in 2018 was quite similar to the previous year with the top 4 still revolving around BTS – Wanna One – EXO – SEVENTEEN. This was when the war among the 3rd Gen became extremely tense. SM also launched a new boy group system called NCT, adding more heat to the Kpop race.
5th place: NCT
4th place: SEVENTEEN
3rd place: EXO
2nd place: Wanna One
1st place: BTS
2019
After Wanna One‘s regretful disbandment, EXO had the opportunity to return to second place in 2019. Besides, another boy group that came out of the Produce series, X1 also proved their formidable potential when ending up at the top 5. Unfortunately, the group did not have the chance to shine because of the scandal of vote rigging by the organizers.
5th place: X1
4th place: NCT
3rd place: SEVENTEEN
2nd place: EXO
1st place: BTS
2020
BTS‘s position as the top boy group has not been shaken since the group first took the top spot in 2015. Except for BTS‘s throne, the remaining 4 rankings in the top 5 continuously reversed. NCT and SEVENTEEN climbed up the chart, EXO‘s “out of date” and TXT‘s breakthrough potential were among the outstanding developments of the 2020 boygroup segment.
5th place: TXT
4th place: EXO
3rd place: NCT
2nd place: SEVENTEEN
1st place: BTS
2021
The face of the most searched boy group in 2021 is extremely interesting when from the 2nd Gen “old man” to 3rd Gen idols all converge in the chart. BTS – SEVENTEEN and NCT are at the top of the table as they continue to occupy the top 3 hottest boy groups of the year. The most surprising thing was the sudden appearance of The Boyz and the return of SHINee after 4 years of disappearing from the top.
5th place: SHINee
4th place: The Boyz
3rd place: NCT
2nd place: SEVENTEEN
1st place: BTS
Thus, it can be seen that BTS‘s dominating reputation in Korea has been maintained for 7 consecutive years and shows no signs of stopping. In terms of long-term success and popularity, it may be difficult for the public to find a “second BTS”.
In addition, SHINee is also a very respectable case when they appear on the top 5 for 7 out of a total of 12 years of published data. The 2nd Gen boy group that can retain the intact image with the most sustainable reputation in Kpop now may be SHINee only.
