Top Google searches in PH for 2023 revealed

Google Philippines has released its Year in Search 2023, an annual list of the top trending searches in the country.

Mervin Wenke, the Head of Communications and Public Affairs for Google Philippines, revealed that the company's list of the most googled topics in the country was based on a comprehensive analysis of data from January to Q4 2023. This helped them determine what Filipinos searched for the most throughout the year.

The list consists of topics that undoubtedly reflect Filipino netizens' passion for sports, games, politics, celebrities, movies, songs, and TV shows from South Korea, among others.

Notably, Korean drama (or K-drama) is really popular in the Philippines. Wenke said that it's something that Filipinos are really into:

That's not present in other countries in Southeast Asia, and it really speaks volumes about Filipinos' love for Hallyu or the Korean wave.

It is noteworthy that the topic of "SIM registration" has acquired significant attention in the "News" category, which can be attributed to the recent implementation of the SIM Registration Act. The purpose of this law is to address the issue of mobile-related crimes by regulating the registration of SIM cards.

Even though people have been searching for "KathNiel" since November 30, 2023, the search engine did not show it in any list.

The NBA rivalry between the "Lakers vs. Warriors" reigned supreme in "Sports," while the thriller movie "Oppenheimer" sparked the most online curiosity in the "Movies" category.

Filipinos have shown a great liking for music, as evidenced by the fact that "Say You Won't Let Go" was the most searched song for its lyrics. Juan Karlos's "ERE" took the second spot in this category and was declared the most-streamed local song on Spotify in a day. It is also noteworthy that this is the first Filipino song to reach the Top 100 Global chart on the platform.

In the 'Games' category, 'Blade Ball Codes' (from Roblox) surprisingly claimed the top spot, outperforming well-established titles such as 'Honkai: Star Rail' and 'Minecraft,' which were placed 8th and 9th, respectively.

South Korean actor Ahn Bo-hyun (known for his main roles in See You in My 19th Life and Yumi's Cells) and British actress Katy Louise Saunders (wife of Korean actor Song Joong-ki) were the most searched personalities in the "Male" and "Female" categories, respectively. K-dramas have maintained their popularity, with "Duty After School" emerging as the top series in the category.

This year, a new category called "Farewells" made its debut, covering searches related to individuals who have passed away, with veteran broadcaster Mike Enriquez, actor and director Joey Paras, and "Friends" star Matthew Perry leading the list.

Also see: 'ERE,' 'Pasilyo' among top Google searches in 2023 (Global)

The Google PH Trends Year in Search 2023 consists of different categories, including News, Sports, Shows or Series, Songs or Lyrics, Games, Male Personalities, Female Personalities, Movies, Farewells, and Korean series.

Here's the full list of top trending searches in the Philippines for 2023, according to Google.