Lee Min-ho has emerged as the 'most beloved Korean actor worldwide' for 12 consecutive years, once again proving his 'insurmountable' popularity class.
According to the '2025 Survey on Overseas Korean Wave' (2024 기준) released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea International Cultural Exchange Association, Lee Min-ho has secured the top spot as the most preferred Korean actor globally for 12 consecutive years with overwhelming popularity numbers, solidifying his position as an unreachable global star.
The analysis by continent shows that Lee Min-ho ranked first in all five continents, including Asia, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, across 28 countries, proving his high popularity worldwide. Moreover, Lee Min-ho has perfectly confirmed his unparalleled status as a world star by maintaining a steady preference for 12 years.
Lee Min-ho's record of being number one is astonishing, considering that he has been consistently at the top of the actor category for 12 consecutive years since the onset of the Korean wave survey in 2014 and boasts overwhelming popularity that far surpasses other prominent stars. Notably, in every region, the gap between him and the second-place has widened compared to 2023, with increasing preference for Lee Min-ho noted not only in Southeast Asia, which has had a high preference for Korean content, including the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, but also in regions like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt in the Middle East and Africa, where there has been a growing overall consumption preference for Korean wave content, including beauty and fashion.
Having proven his unique presence and box office power through various works like 'The Heirs,' 'Legend of the Blue Sea,' and 'Pachinko,' Lee Min-ho has also ranked first in significant voting and awards such as the National Brand Award, Korean Wave Male Actor Award, Asia's Best Star Award, and Korean Wave Contribution Award, showcasing his strong influence as a Korean Wave star.
Additionally, Lee Min-ho is active globally as an advertising model and ambassador for various brands, demonstrating his presence as a world-class talent. True to being a representative Korean actor loved by all continents, he is gaining attention as a coveted star who leads trends and generates topics on various social media channels amid the enthusiastic interest of fans worldwide.
Firmly maintaining his position as the most beloved Korean representative actor worldwide, Lee Min-ho held the '2025 LEE MINHO ASIA FANMEETING TOUR 'MINHOVERSE' IN SEOUL' last month at the Olympic Hall in Seoul, marking the start of a successful fan meeting tour after 8 years since 2017, meeting fans in seven Asian countries, including Bangkok, Macau, Taipei, Jakarta, Manila, and Tokyo.
Additionally, he is set to release a film adaptation of the web novel of the same name, 'Universal Reader's Perspective' (directed by Kim Byung-woo). 'Universal Reader's Perspective' is about 'Kim Reader,' who knows the ending in a reality that has collapsed like a novel serialized for over 10 years, teaming up with the novel's main character, 'Yoo Joong-hyuk,' to save the world. Lee Min-ho will meet audiences as Yoo Joong-hyuk, a character with the ability to repeatedly return to life no matter how many times he dies.
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