Chew Ming Hui, Author at Goody Feed

Google has just released the "Year in Search 2024", giving Singaporeans a view of the most-searched words and phrases in our little island nation this year. If you've yet to hear of the "Year in Search" initiative by Google, it's a little like Spotify Wrapped, except it's for a whole country, and it summarises different categories of searches. For instance, we have categories such as the most searched local news, international news, TV shows, movies, international personalities, and local personalities. Here are the most interesting searches Singaporeans have made this year. Singapore's Top Searches in 2024 First, starting with the general top searches in Singapore this year. We've searched all sorts of things, but you're not going to believe what our most-searched phrase this year was. No, it's not the US elections, and no, it's not PM Lawrence Wong. It's the UEFA Euro 2024. Football fans are really taking over our Google searches — "UEFA Euro 2024" was searched so much, that it even beats the "Olympics 2024" search to the top. Image: Google Of course, coming in at number five is the search "CDC vouchers". Singaporeans love our "free money", what can we say? If your mouth is already watering thinking about all the wanton mees you're going to eat using your government payouts, you can watch this video here to find out what's the next payout you'll receive lah: Mai kanchiong, really. Your payout will come one. Singapore's Most-Searched Local News in 2024 The most interesting category of searches made by Singaporeans is perhaps the local news category. And honestly, we're surprised that "MRT breakdown" wasn't part of the most-searched local news at all. Instead, in the local news category, we have the search "Labubu" coming in as the third-most-searched phrase in local news. Image: Google At this point, if you're thinking to yourself: "Huh? Gong simi? What is a Labubu?", well, you've probably seen it before, but just don't know what it is. Labubu is a Pop Mart figure that Singaporeans have been crazy about this year. It is a character in a series of stories called "The Monsters", and it can be recognised by its furry coat and distinct serrated teeth. You can watch this video to find out more about Labubu: The Pop Mart figure is so popular that it was Googled by Singaporeans more than "iPhone 16" — that speaks for itself just how much of a grip Labubu has on Singaporeans lah. But another piece of most-searched local news is interesting as well — coming in at number five, "excessive heat". If you're reading this article while walking outside in the hot sun right now, you'll probably agree with the search. After all, it has been a rather strange year when it comes to Singapore's weather. We're all too familiar with it. Some days, it rains like there's no tomorrow. Other days, it feels like the sky is stir frying you into char kway teow. In fact, Singapore recorded a temperature of 36.3°C in Choa Chu Kang earlier in March this year, and later, 36.4°C in Paya Lebar in April. At this rate, we're going to become a nation of char kway teows. But before that happens, you can watch this video to find out more about why Singapore suddenly became so hot earlier this year: Singapore's Most-Searched Local Personalities in 2024 Google also released a list of Singapore's most-searched local personalities in 2024. You'll never guess who beat PM Lawrence Wong to the top. It's Max Maeder. Win in Olympics, win in Google searches also. Steady lah. Image: Google At this point, if you're thinking: "Eh? The list looks a little off though, a certain minister seems to be misssing," you're not the only one thinking of that. Coming in as the sixth-most-searched local personality in Singapore this year is the former transport minister, S. Iswaran. Image: Google With all the news coverage about his case, you would have thought he would have made top five in the searches. Other Top Searches in Singapore in 2024 But that's not all the top searches that Singapore had. It also seems that the "swifties" in Singapore have taken over our "Year in Searches" statistics for 2024 — the most-searched international personality in Singapore this year was none other than Taylor Swift. The most-searched for local news, and also the most-searched international personality. What can this singer not do? We also have "Donald Trump" and "Kamala Harris" as the second- and fifth-most-searched international personalities respectively. Without a doubt, the two names made their way into Singapore's top international personalities searches because of the US elections lah. Image: Google As for the most-searched movies, what's most impressive isn't so much the list of movies Singaporeans searched most. What's most impressive is that we finally figured out how to spell the most-searched movie — "how Grandma made millions before she died". Eh, sorry. I meant "how I made millions before Grandma dies". Eh, no. Aiya, whatever — just read the actual movie title below lah. Image: Google As for the most-searched TV show in Singapore this year, well, it doesn't come as a surprise to anyone. You've probably seen your friends post about this show, talking about how much they cried while watching it. The most-searched TV show is none other than "Queen of Tears". Image: Google Next, we have international news. From global affairs to sports, Singaporeans have searched it all. For instance, our most-searched global affairs news this year include the US elections, the India elections, and Iran. We also searched a whole lot about the Olympics — so much that "Olympics 2024" comes in as the second-most-searched international news in Singapore. Image: Google So, what do you think about Singapore's "Year in Search" this 2024?