Top 10 Twitter keywords in Korea 2016

Twitter has released their end of year stats for the most popular Twitter keywords in Korea for 2016. No surprises here - Choi Soon-sil and K-pop acts dominated. I copied down the info and rewrote it into English for your convenience, with some basic explanations.

2016년 Top 10 키워드
Top 10 Twitter Keywords in Korea 2016

Korean Top 10 Keywords 2016. Image: Twitter

2016년 Top 10 키워드
Top 10 Keywords 2016 for Korea

1. 최순실 게이트
   Choi Soon-shil gate
   Biggest story in Korea this year. The scandal of President Park Geun-hye and her wildly corrupt confidant Choi Soon-shil was expertly documented by The (Ask A) Korean. 
2. 방탄 소년단
   BTS, a K-pop boy band also known as Bangtan Boys. Their new album this year charted high in Japan and USA. 
3. 엑소
   Exo, another popular K-pop boy band
4. 갓세븐
   Got7, another popular K-pop boy band
5. 트와이스
   Twice, a popular K-pop girl group
6. 세월호
   Sewol-ho, the ferry that sank back in 2014, but which really was the catalyst for the anti-PGH sentiment that exploded after Choi Soon-shil gate. Thanks in part to the relations of the Choi scandal, we now have some possible answers as to what Park was doing during those fateful hours two years ago.
7. 총선
   General election. Korea held a general election for parliamentary seats. This election was notable for seeing the ruling Saenuri party lose its majority. 
8. 미대선
   American presidential election
9. 필리버스터
   Filibuster. Lawmakers (led by the Saenuri party) attempted to pass a sweeping anti-terrorism law (테러방지법). Minjoo party lawmakers attempted a filibuster to prevent its passing. It failed and the law was passed.
10. 리우 올림픽
    Rio Olympics. Notable for, among other things, that cute selfie between the North and South Korean gymnasts. 

2016 Top 10 Korean Keywords by Category

Korean Top 10 Keywords 2016 by category. Image: Twitter

2016 Top 10 Korean Keywords by Category

Top 10 Keywords

(Same list as above)

사회
Society

1. 대통령
   President
2. 최순실
   Choi Soon-sil
3. 촛불집회
   Candlelight Vigils, held in downtown Seoul to protest the president's corruption scandal. 
4. 세월호
   Sewol-ho ferry
5. 20대총선
   20th General Election (for Korea)
6. 미대선
   American Presidential Election
7. 필리버스터
   Filibuster (see above)
8. 리우올림픽
   Rio Olympics
9. 미세먼지
   Fine dust
10. 김영란법
    Kim Young-ran Act. A sweeping anti-corruption, anti-graft law. Passed last year, it went into effect this year, with some amazing convictions already. 

음악
Music

(All of these are K-pop groups)

1. 방탄소년단
   BTS
2. 엑소
   Exo
3. 갓세븐
   Got7
4. 트와이스
   Twice
5. 여자친구
   Girlfriend
6. 인피니트
   Infinite
7. 소녀시대
   Girls' Generation
8. 아이오아이
   I.O.I.
9. 레드벨벳
   Red Velvet
10. 블락비바스타즈
    Block B BASTARZ

엔터테인먼트
Entertainment

1. 복면가왕
   King of Masked Singer. A mystery singer competition. 
2. 또오해영
   Another Oh Hae Young. Never heard of this show, sorry. 
3. 내귀에캔디
   My Ear's Candy. Never heard of this either. "Candy" is some secret phone call girl who listens to all your problems, or something. It ran for one season. Apparently I'm not hip. 
4. 보보경심
   Moon Lovers. a drama that featured singer I.U. 
5. 태양의 후예
   Descendants of the Sun. A very popular drama set in a warzone, with a love interest between a female doctor and a soldier.  
6. 무한도전
   Infinity Challenge. A very long running Korean variety show. Longtime comedian member Jung Hyung-don left the show this year. 
7. 함부로 애틋하게
   Uncontrollably Fond. A drama that featured the very popular idols Suzy and Woo-bin.
8. 오버워치
   Overwatch. A Korean team won 1st place this year in this popular shoot-em-up video game.
9. 주토피아
   Zootopia. That cute animal movie with Shakira suggestively telling you to "try everything."
10. 프로듀스101
    Produce 101. A K-pop girl group formation competition, which gave rise to the group I.O.I. 

2016년 팔로워 보유순위
Largest Numbers of Followers (Korea), 2016

Top Followers for Korean Twitter 2016. Image: Twitter

2016년 팔로워 보유순위
Largest Numbers of Followers (Korea), 2016
(These are all K-pop stars)

1. 빅뱅 지드레곤
   Big Bang's G-Dragon @IBGDRDN
2. 슈퍼주니어 최시원
   Super Junior's Choi Siwon @siwon407
3. 슈퍼주니어 동해
   Super Junior's Donghae @donghae861015
4. 2PM닉쿤
   2PM's Nichkhun @Khunnie0624
5. PSY
   @psy_oppa
6. 방탄소년단
   BTS @BTS_twt
7. 슈퍼주니어 예성
   Super Junior's Yesung @shfly3424
8. BoA
   @BoAkwon
9. 미스에이 수지
   MissA's Suzy @missA_suzy
10. 슈퍼주이어 이특
    Super Junior's Leeteuk @special1004

"Opinion Leaders" [aka non K-pop stars] who gained the most followers were Seoul mayor Park Won-soon @wonsoonpark and Huff Post Korea @HuffPostKorea

Source: 올해 대한민국에서는 #2016어떤일이 | Twitter Blogs

For more about what was popular in 2016, check out my other Year in Review posts.