This is what Hong Kongers googled in 2017

When we’re searching for answers or information, we usually do it on Google. As 2017 is coming to a draw, the web search engine has compiled its annual lists of top searches by country and globally. To collect the data, Google uses algorithms to examine trillions of keywords, which ultimately reveal a lot about society, people’s perceptions and reactions to current events and, of course, the trending obsessions that shape pop culture in the digital age.

In Hong Kong, the list is quite sweeping, with both local and international topics dominating the searches. However, it surprisingly revealed that local TV dramas made a massive comeback, with TVB sci-fi dramedy “The Exorcist’s Meter” taking the overall top spot.

Meanwhile, the city’s overwhelming consumerist culture is also reflected in the list, with both the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X making it to the general top ten.

Following global trends – Hurricane Irma was the most searched keyword worldwide – Typhoon Hato, the category 2 tropical cyclone that struck Hong Kong at the end of August and caused 26 casualties in the South China Sea region, was the most googled local news story.

Here are top Google searches by category in 2017 for Hong Kong:

Top trending keywords 

1. The Exorcist’s Meter (降魔的)
2. iPhone 8
3. My Unfair Lady (不懂撒嬌的女人)
4. iPhone X
5. OCTB (反黑)
6. Line Walker The Prelude (使徒行者 2)
7. Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (鬼怪 – 孤單又燦爛的神)
8. The Legend of the Condor Heroes (射鵰英雄傳 2017)
9. A General A scholar and A Eunuch (超時空男臣)
10. Yixin

Top Trending Local News

1. Typhoon Hato
2. Chief Executive Election
3. Hing Tak School
4. Blue Whale Game
5. Policy Address
6. Food truck
7. Typhoon Pakhar
8. DSE Results Announcements 2017
9. Rex Tso Match
10. PopVote

Top Trending People in Current Affairs (Local)

1. Rex Tso Sing-yu
2. Howard Lam Tsz-kin
3. Donald Tsang Yam-kuen
4. Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor
5. John Tsang Chun-wah
6. Patrick Ho Chi-ping
7. Seasun
8. Cecilia Yeung Man-wai
9. Woo Kwok-hing
10. Agnes Meiling Kaneko Chan

Top Trending People in Current Affairs (International) 

1. Liu Xiaobo
2. Kim Jong-nam
3. Donald Trump
4. Floyd Mayweather
5. Xiao Jianhua
6. Emmanuel Macron
7. Philippe Coutinho Correia
8. Xu Xiaodong
9. Ke Jie
10. Kohei Kono

Top Trending International News 2017

1. 19th CPC National Congress
2. Catalonia
3. Hurricane Irma
4. United Airlines
5. Las Vegas
6. Macau Car-racing
7. Smog
8. Qatar
9. Brazil meat scandal
10. Grenfell Tower