Just like that, we’re reaching the end of another eventful year as we count down to Christmas festivities and New Year’s Eve parties. Looking back, 2024 had its own fair share of trends and crazes – with grown men fighting over Labubu plush dolls, to everyone comparing potong ice cream personality quiz result and a bunch of exciting concerts that gave rise to creative costumes and ticketing wars. What a year indeed.
Now if there’s one entity that knows best about what’s been the talk of town, it’s gotta be Google – the all-knowing search engine that we turn to in times of inquisitiveness and cluelessness alike. Google has just released its annual Year in Search 2024 lists, so here’s a look at all the hot viral topics in Singapore across the year, from local news to movies and popular personalities.
Seems like Singaporeans are big on sports and politics; In terms of general searches, the top place goes to UEFA Euro 2024 soccer championships, followed by the US Elections 2024 and Olympics 2024.
But zooming in on local news, the top five search topics in Singapore for 2024 are: Taylor Swift, CDC Vouchers, razor-toothed POP MART character Labubu, iPhone 16, and excessive heat (in order of ranking, starting from the highest). Yup, we’re pretty sure that at least one, if not all of these made an appearance in your lunchtime chats with colleagues or during hangouts with friends at some point of the year or another.
When it comes to home entertainment, Singaporeans love their K-dramas, with romance series Queen of Tears being the most searched TV show in the country. Other Korean series Marry My Husband (#2) and Lovely Runner (#4) follow shortly behind, alongside Chinese period drama The Double (墨雨云间) (#3) and thriller 3 Body Problem (#5).
As for movies, it’s no surprise that Thai tearjerker How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies takes the top spot in its category. Other popular movies, in order of ranking, include Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, Dune 2, and Kung Fu Panda 4.
In the international personalities category, we have Taylor Swift topping the charts, and that’s also completely unsurprising given the amount of buzz leading up to her six nights of performances at the Singapore National Stadium. So strong was this hype that local businesses came up with their own Taylor Swift-themed activities and events, from friendship bracelet beading stations to mass sing-along sessions and intricate cakes inspired by Blank Space.
The other trending international personalities in Singapore’s top five list of searches are: Donald Trump, Kate Middleton, Pope Francis – who stopped by our island to celebrate mass with 70,000 attendees – and Kamala Harris.
Local personalities also received their fair share of love, with young Singaporean kitefoiler Max Maeder garnering the most interest. With a Bronze Olympic medal to his name at just 18 years old, he’s currently Singapore’s youngest Olympic medallist. But his big win isn’t the only thing that got people talking – many also lauded him for his well-spoken yet humble nature, making him a media darling.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong – who took over the position from Lee Hsien Loong in May this year – is the next-most Googled local personality of 2024 after Max. This is followed by actress Fatin Amira who got bad press for being an alleged third party in a cheating scandal; Lee Wei Ling, Lee Hsien Loong’s sister who passed away in October; and finally Loo Tze Lui, PM Lawrence Wong’s wife.
It’s been a colourful year indeed, and we can’t wait for what else is in store for 2025. In the meantime, have a peek at our ultimate guide to celebrating Christmas 2024 in Singapore to round off the year on a high note, and check out the full Google Year in Search 2024 Singapore list.
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