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Photo: instagram/@netflix, @josephschooling, @raybeohhhh, Google

Google's Year In Search 2021: For Singaporeans, It Was All About Healing, Solidarity And Squid Game

By Farhan Shafie
14 December 2021

What a year it has been, huh? From the living through the ongoing pandemic to enjoying Netflix sleeper hits, 2021 was a year of adjusting to the new normal and finding hope in the road ahead.

Google recently unveiled its Year in Search 2021 lists, which showcases the people, topics, events and places that captured Singapore’s attention this year.

The trending searches reflected all our favourite moments, stories and entertainment as we emerged from the second year of COVID-19. While we may take "umbrage" at some of the selections, most of them were green light...red light (sorry, can't help it!). Let's dive right into the lists!

What Singaporeans searched for

  1. UEFA Euro 2021
  2. NBA League
  3. IPL 2021
  4. English Premier League
  5. Squid Game
  6. 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games
  7. COVID-19 Prevention 
  8. Bitcoin Price
  9. iPhone 13
  10. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings 

2021 was the year that brought back the return of live sports. As a football fan, it's been agonising to watch games held in empty stadiums so it's no surprise the European Championship tops the list.

As the first major sporting event to welcome back crowds, they also brought back SG football fans to watch in droves and cheer their favourite European nations. Now it's time to support our very own Lions as they hunt for football glory. 

It is also no big surprise that the pandemic figures as one of the top trending topics. We saw Singaporeans come together to encourage the community, especially the more vulnerable, to get vaccinated.

Trending Singapore News

  1. Tanjong Pagar accident
  2. River Valley high school
  3. SPH ‘Umbrage’
  4. GST Voucher
  5. Sylvia Chan
  6. Phoon Chiu Yoke
  7. Raeesah Khan
  8. National Day Parade 2021
  9. Budget 2021 Singapore 
  10. KAWS 

2021 also saw us come together in solidarity to support a fellow Singaporean in her great moment of adversity and tragedy. The unfortunate Tanjong Pagar accident took top spot as there was an outpouring of sympathy for the victims of the car crash, with many sharing messages of support for Raybe Oh, who suffered burn injuries while trying to save her boyfriend in the crash. 

NDP is also a regular on this list and while the 2021 edition was a more intimate affair, it gave us one of the best National Day theme songs of the last few years so we've got no complaints.

Trending TV Shows

  1. Squid Game
  2. Hometown Cha Cha Cha
  3. Vincenzo
  4. True Beauty 
  5. Mr Queen
  6. WandaVision 
  7. Bridgerton 
  8. My Name
  9. Loki
  10. Alice in Borderland 

Was this any surprise? Korean Netflix thriller Squid Game took the world by storm and in Singapore, it was no different. It gave birth to countless Tik Tok memes, Easter Egg discussions and random playing of Red Light, Green Light amongst friends. While last year it was Dalgona coffee and Parasite, Korean culture and entertainment remains a big influence on Singaporeans.

Trending Athletes

  1. Joseph Schooling 
  2. Yu Mengyu
  3. Christian Eriksen 
  4. Cristiano Ronaldo 
  5. Simone Biles
  6. Floyd Mayweather 
  7. Feng Tianwei
  8. Loh Kean Yew
  9. Quah Zheng Wen 
  10. PengShuai 

Singaporeans showed their support for Olympic swimmer Joseph Schooling’s who was number one in the 'Trending Singapore Personalities' and 'Trending Olympic Searches' list by following his journey through the Tokyo Olympics, together with other local athletes like table tennis players Yu Mengyu and Feng Tianwei. Schooling might not have his retained his gold medal but we are still proud of our swimming icon regardless.

Trending F&B Searches

  1. Oddle Eats
  2. Eggslut
  3. BTS Meal
  4. Lim Chee Guan 
  5. Orange and Teal 
  6. Koma Singapore
  7. Bober Tea
  8. Hainanese Chicken Burger
  9. Vivocity Food 
  10. Buffet Town 

When it comes to makan hacks, we Singaporeans love a good discount. The Oddle Eats app seem to be a popular download among foodies as it lets you get first dibs on promos. I am totally FOMO-ing right now because I had no idea it even existed! 

Also, I'm quite surprised BTS didn't appear that much on the list other than the mention of the BTS McDonalds meal, which I have to admit was quite the treat.

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TAGS: Entertainment , Did You Know , People , We Are Singapore , Workplay , Culture

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