There’s no doubt that K-pop fans are a major force on social media, but Soompi’s partnership with Twitter for one of the fan-oriented categories of their 2018 Awards reveals some insight into how rapidly interactive engagements by fans of Korean music have grown over the past year: the Korean pop culture site’s annual Awards saw over 65 million more votes this year in comparison to 2017's, coming at a time when K-pop fans are rallying around social media activities.
This year’s Soompi Awards saw 163 million votes, marking 69% year over year growth versus last year's 96 million. There were 1.86 billion impressions across social media, and voting came from over 190 countries. It is one of the biggest engagement events annually run by Soompi and its parent company, Rakuten Viki.
Categories like “Twitter Best Fandom” (GOT7), “Best Choreography” (BTS’ “DNA), “Best Stage Outfit” (Girls’ Generation’s “Holiday”) and “Fuse Music Video of the Year” (BTS’ “DNA) were based entirely on fan votes. The Twitter Best Fandom hashtag (#TwitterBestFandom) dominated the Soompi Awards overall with 25.46% of the the total fan voting, or 41.5 million votes, going towards that category over two 24-hour periods on Twitter in January and February. Other awards were based on a combination of votes and Soompi Music Chart scores. Like in years past, the Best Twitter Fandom award was dominated by GOT7’s Aghase’s, with BTS’s ARMY and EXO’s EXO-L’s swapping places in 2018 versus 2017 to come in at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. BTS came out overall on top, with seven awards going to the group between their joint and solo activities.
"Soompi Awards is the cornerstone of our engagement with our audience every year, and through it and our other initiatives, we continue to prove our ability to activate a large, young, multicultural and global audience that no one else can tap,” Rakuten Viki Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives & Business Development, Mark Jocson.
One of the original English-language sites dedicated to K-pop and related entertainment industries, Soompi's Awards marking a record amount of interactions is just the latest example of how passion for K-pop is guiding the social media behaviors of fans as they turn out en masse to cheer on their favorite artists through social media posts. Twitter's partnership with Soompi comes after the social media site was dominated last year by BTS and another K-pop boy band, Seventeen. It and other social media sites, such as Tumblr and Instagram, have seen notable growth of K-pop-associated interactions and impressions over the past few years as K-pop's subculture becomes even more active in Internet spaces.
K-pop fans have long come out to support their favorite artists on social media, but the Soompi Awards' year over year growth further emphasizes how much fan-oriented votes have become a force in K-pop over the past 12 months following BTS’ Top Social Artist award win at the BBMAs. A similarly social media-based event, the group’s win and appearance at the Billboard Music Awards last May helped solidify the Korean boy band’s place in America’s music industry after a Stateside arena tour and breaking records on on the Billboard 200 album chart. Following the BBMAs, social media activity surrounding the K-pop world has seen a significant boost as K-pop fans, companies, and related businesses alike have recognized the strength of online impressions as a new forum for artists to gain recognition in.
A full list of Soompi Award winners can be seen below, with the 100% fan-voted categories bolded.
Best Female Solo: IU
Best Male Solo: Baekhyun
Best Female Group: GFRIEND
Best Male Group: GOT7
Best Hip-Hop/R&B Artist: Heize
Breakout Artist: MONSTA X
Best Collaboration: “Mic Drop Remix” (BTS x Desiigner x Steve Aoki)
Twitter Best Fandom: GOT7
Best Choreography: “DNA” (BTS)
Best Stage Outfit: “Holiday” (Girls' Generation)
FUSE Music Video of the Year: “DNA” (BTS)
Rookie of the Year: Wanna One
Song of the Year: DNA (BTS)
Album of the Year: You Never Walk Alone (BTS)
Artist of the Year: BTS
Breakout Actor: Jung Hae In (While You Were Sleeping)
Best Idol Actor: V (Hwarang)
Best Web Series: Ruby Ruby Love
Best Acting Ensemble: Hwarang
Best Foreign Drama: Attention, Love!
Best Variety Show: It’s Dangerous Beyond the Blankets
Best Music Reality Show: Produce 101 Season 2
Best Soundtrack: Goblin OST
Best Supporting Actor: Lee Dong Wook (Goblin)
Best Supporting Actress: Yoo In Na (Goblin)
Best Kiss: Nam Ji Hyun and Ji Chang Wook (Suspicious Partner)
Best Couple: Park Bo Young and Park Hyung Sik (Strong Woman Do Bong Soon)
Actor of the Year: Lee Joon Gi (Criminal Minds)
Actress of the Year: YoonA (The King Loves)
Drama of the Year: Goblin
Latin America Popularity Award: GOT7
Hallyu Special Award: Jonghyun
