IU and Lim Young-woong Dominate Different Generations as 2025’s Most Loved Singers in Korea

The results of Korea’s 2025 annual music preference survey reveal a clearly defined generational divide. Among listeners aged 13 to 39, IU emerged as the most favored singer of the year, while Lim Young-woong maintained his position at the top among audiences aged 40 and above. Within the same survey framework, the two artists represent distinct emotional connections and consumption patterns across age groups, once again bringing the structural differences of Korea’s mainstream music market into focus.

Within the 13–39 age group, IU secured more than 20 percent of the vote, making her the most representative artist of the year for younger audiences. Throughout 2025, she remained active across both music and screen projects, releasing new songs while maintaining strong public visibility through television and acting work. As a result, her influence extended beyond chart performance into broader popular culture. This long-term accumulation of public recognition, combined with a consistent release cadence, has allowed IU to retain a high level of visibility and relevance among younger listeners.

In contrast, preferences among listeners aged 40 and above were strongly concentrated around Lim Young-woong. Since his debut, he has built a broad support base spanning digital music, live concerts, and television appearances, supported by consistent vocal performance and emotionally driven songs. The survey indicates that Lim Young-woong has now ranked first in this age group for six consecutive years, underscoring that his influence is rooted not in short-term popularity, but in long-term emotional connection and audience loyalty.

This divergence was also evident in the survey’s ‘favorite song of the year’ category. Younger audiences tended to favor newly released tracks with strong stage presence and visual impact, while older listeners showed a preference for songs with familiar melodies and clearly defined emotional narratives. The data further revealed that newly released songs accounted for a smaller share of the top selections among the 40-plus group, highlighting notable differences in music discovery channels and listening contexts between generations.

• IU represents a K-pop-centered pop culture consumption model among younger generations
• Lim Young-woong symbolizes a stable, high-loyalty support structure among middle-aged and older audiences
• The rankings reflect long-term market structure rather than short-lived annual trends

## KStarLoud Insight This survey illustrates that Korea’s music market is not driven by a single mainstream, but rather by multiple coexisting cores supported by different generations. IU and Lim Young-woong occupy opposite ends of this spectrum, each representing distinct listening environments and emotional needs. For the industry, the findings serve as a reminder that a one-size-fits-all narrative is no longer sufficient, and that effective audience segmentation based on generational characteristics will be critical to the sustainable growth of the music market.