Jaehwa Bernardo

Thousands of devotees jostle and grapple for the ropes and a chance to climb the andas as the Traslación passes through Palanca Street in Quiapo, Manila, on January 9, 2026. Millions of faithful gathered today to celebrate the Feast of the Black Nazarene, an image revered for its history of granting miracles.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Religious events, K-pop dominate PH social media conversations in January

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177026657031920260109-traslacion-palanca-quezon-boulevard-MT11 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Thousands of devotees jostle and grapple for the ropes and a chance to climb the andas as the Traslación passes through Palanca Street in Quiapo, Manila, on January 9, 2026. Millions of faithful gathered today to celebrate the Feast of the Black Nazarene, an image revered for its history of granting miracles. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File"/>Thousands of devotees jostle and grapple for the ropes and a chance to climb the andas as the Traslación passes through Palanca Street in Quiapo, Manila, on January 9, 2026. Millions of faithful gathered today to celebrate the Feast of the Black Nazarene, an image revered for its history of granting miracles.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</div>Religious events and popular K-pop groups were the subject of posts that dominated Filipino social media feeds in the first month of 2026, a research firm said Thursday.From January 1 to 22, online engagement was largely driven by religion and K-pop fan culture, according to Capstone Intel Corp.While these two topics may look different, they are united by a common need for connection, said Ella Kristina Domingo, director for data analytics at Capstone Intel.&quot;Whether it was a procession or a comeback, people were showing up for the same reason. They wanted to feel connected — to God, to culture, or to each other,&quot; said Domingo.Sinulog — the annual religious festival in Cebu centered on the Santo Niño — emerged as the most engaging topic of the period, generating 1.75 million in engagement and driving the highest level of interaction.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/1/19/over-5-2-million-spectators-join-cebu-s-sinulog-2026-1008">READ: Over 5.2 million spectators join Cebu&#x27;s Sinulog 2026 </a></div>SunStar Cebu&#x27;s coverage drew massive reactions, comments and shares on Facebook.Sinulog-related posts recorded 220,633 Likes and 299,962 Loves, alongside 114,899 comments and 68,082 shares, according to Capstone.Traslacion, the hours-long procession in Manila centered on the Black Nazarene image, followed, with 331,775 Love reactions and 214,413 Likes.&quot;Traslacion engagement shows how social media can function as a space for faith. People weren’t reacting casually, they were expressing belief, hope, and intention,&quot; Domingo said.The third most discussed topic involved BTS, which throughout the month announced their comeback with the album &quot;Arirang&quot; and a new world tour that includes a Manila stop.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/events/2026/1/13/bts-to-bring-upcoming-world-tour-to-manila-in-march-2027-2317">READ: BTS to bring upcoming world tour to Manila in March 2027 </a></div>The fanpage BTSNoona fueled engagement through short edits and humorous captions. Overall, BTS-related posts recorded 216,469 Likes and 229,983 Loves, along with 55,128 shares.Blackpink, which<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/music/2026/1/14/blackpink-announces-february-comeback-with-ep-deadline-2355"> announced a comeback</a> with their third mini album, also created a buzz on social media, with related posts receiving 250,045 Likes, 429,642 Loves, and 45,437 shares.Rounding out the top five topics was K-pop boy band SEVENTEEN, with fans discussing updates on member milestones, especially those involving Joshua.“Even without a major comeback, these updates show how invested fans are in individual journeys,” Domingo said.

Religious events and popular K-pop groups were the subject of posts that dominated Filipino social media feeds in the first month of 2026, a research firm said Thursday.

Religious events and popular K-pop groups were the subject of posts that dominated Filipino social media feeds in the first month of 2026, a research firm said Thursday.