PMI Conducts 2026 Trend Perception Survey: 20s via SNS, 50s via TV

Research firm PMI has announced the results of its '2026 Trend Perception Survey' conducted on 1,000 adult men and women aged 20 to 59 nationwide. According to the survey results, the channels through which new trends are encountered and the signals used to recognize them as trends vary by age group.

Differences in Trend Contact Points by Generation

For those in their 20s, a high proportion first encountered trends through YouTube (64.0%) and SNS (58.8%). On the other hand, those in their 50s cited TV/Broadcasting (42.4%) and portals (32.0%) as their primary routes. YouTube was confirmed to be the only channel to rank high across all age groups.

Trend Judgment Criteria and Influence

While those in their 20s recognize 'when it is frequently seen on SNS' (53.6%) as a trend signal, those in their 50s placed more importance on 'when it is covered in news/broadcasting' (46.4%) or 'stories from those around them' (42.8%). Meanwhile, 46.9% of all respondents answered that whether something is a trend influences their choice of products or services.

Cho Min-hee, CEO of PMI, explained, "The generational difference does not stem from a matter of trend sensitivity, but from differences in discovery channels and judgment signals. It is difficult to reach all age groups through a single-channel approach."

This survey was conducted online from August 21 to 25, 2026, with the sample constructed through equal allocation by gender and age group.

Source: PMI Press Release (Newswire)

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