In a year with no shortage of curveballs, Yahoo Year in Review 2022 spotlights all the top news and topics from the year that has been a time of transition in Singapore.From Singapore badminton pride Low Kean Yew to Apple’s iPhone 14 and football favourite Liverpool, Yahoo Year in Review 2022 is a roundup of the top things that have captured the attention of users in Singapore and fuelled their passions this year.

Most searched local celebrities: Lawrence Wong and Felicia Chin top the list

Big-name local celebrities such as Lawrence Wong (above), JJ Lin, Desmond Tan, Fann Wong, Zoe Tay, and Joanne Peh continue to stay in the hearts and minds of Singaporeans, coming in the top ten for the most searched local celebrities for the fourth year running.

Jeanette Aw, Kim Lim, Jamie Chua, and Elvin Ng also made the cut again after appearing in last year’s top ten list.

Singaporean actor Lawrence Wong (1st) took the top spot for most searched local male celebrities for two years in a row. Following his breakout role in the hit imperial drama, Story Of Yanxi Palace, Lawrence Wong continues to make waves on screen; starring in main roles for drama series such as The Ferryman: Legends of Nanyang and Summer Wind.

Meanwhile, local ex-actor Ix Shen (2nd) landed at the second spot as he returned to Ukraine with his wife to help with humanitarian aid as volunteers, while Mandopop superstar JJ Lin (3rd), while remaining a fan favourite, moved down one spot to third on the list this year.

In the list of most searched local female celebrities, Felicia Chin (1st) came out on top as her announcement about leaving Mediacorp for faith-based ministry, hhm.sg, took many Singaporeans by surprise.

Back in October, Felicia Chin also tied the knot with her boyfriend of seven years and local actor, Jeffrey Xu (6th).

Rebecca Lim (2nd, above)) also made headlines as she joined a star-studded cast for the Hong Kong zombie film, Chungking Mansions, which featured Japanese action star Rina Takeda, Hong Kong singer Anson Lo, and fellow Singaporean actor Desmond Tan (5th), amongst others.

Most searched athletes: Loh Kean Yew continues roaring success

Singapore national shuttler Low Kean Yew (1st) adds to his accolades – the first Singaporean to win the Badminton World Championships and be nominated for the BWF Male Player award, recently named the Sportsman of the Year at the annual Singapore Sports Awards ceremony, and now the top searched athlete in Singapore.

He also rose to third place in the BWF’s rankings – marking the first time a Singaporean male shuttler has reached the coveted top three positions in the world.

Former Manchester United player and Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo (2nd) occupied the second spot on the list after a year of off-the-field issues and the release of his controversial interview with Piers Morgan.

It was an eventful year for tennis, too: Rafael Nadal (5th) made headlines after a career-defining season, while his on-court rival, Roger Federer (10th), narrowly made the list following his retirement in September as the world bid farewell to one of the greatest players in tennis history.

Most Searched EPL Clubs: Liverpool tops the list over rival Manchester United and league leader Arsenal

From its sold-out pre-season match in Singapore to a poor start to the season and the recent news of the club’s potential sale by owner Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool (1st) emerged top of the list for most searched EPL clubs.

Once the undisputed biggest sports team in the world, Manchester United (2nd) had fans searching for hope as the Red Devils attempted to reset after a jittery transfer season.

Arsenal (3rd) sits five points clear at the top of the EPL table and will look to build on their hot streak as title favourites Manchester City (7th), Newcastle United (5th), and the rest of the pack resume their title chase after the FIFA World Cup.

Top 5 Beauty Products: Sephora has it all

The beauty industry got a reboot of its own as pandemic regulations were relaxed. French multinational retail giant Sephora (1st), with its newly opened cashless “store of the future”, came out tops. Next is apothecary brand Kiehl’s (2nd), known for its potent facial creams and serums that cater to all face types.

K-Beauty cult favourite Innisfree (3rd) ranks third, its skincare products containing the finest ingredients from Jeju Island, followed by The Body Shop (4th), widely known for its natural beauty and personal care products. Rounding up the list is homegrown Singaporean brand, Browhaus (5th), which specialises in brow and lash grooming services.

Top Tech Brands: Google clinches top spot, beating rival Microsoft

Google (1st) one-upped its rival, Microsoft (2nd), as the most searched tech brand in 2022 as it made its foray into wearables in addition to the release of its Pixel 7 series. Amazon (3rd) also made it on the list, further cementing its reputation as a global leader in the e-commerce space.

Top 5 Tech Releases: Apple products claim top three

Tech releases by tech giant Apple dominate the list, with three Apple products clinching the top three spots. A perennial favourite, the iPhone 14 (1st) ranked as the top searched tech release this year, followed closely behind by the latest generation of iPad (2nd) and Apple Watch (3rd). Homegrown monitor brand PRISM+ Monitors (4th) stirs local pride as it comes fourth on the list, gaining popularity among consumers who were in the market for new 4K monitors for all their gaming, viewing, and working needs.

Most Searched Online Travel Portals and Travel Related Searches: AirAsia and Agoda power travel plans; staycations and cruises popular with travellers

With travelling firmly back on the cards following the ease of travel restrictions earlier this year, Singaporeans are busy planning for their next holiday. AirAsia (1st) leads the list of most searched online travel portals, while Singapore-based Agoda (2nd) and Skyscanner (3rd) round up the list.

Even as borders opened up worldwide, users in Singapore looked for local and convenient holiday options – staycations and cruise trips were popular among users looking for their getaways.

Local hotel and resort, Shangri-La Singapore (1st) and Resorts World Sentosa (2nd), and cruise lines, Genting Dream Cruise (3rd), Royal Caribbean Cruises (4th), and Resorts World Cruises (5th), make up the top five on the list of travel-related searches.

Nearby destinations in neighbouring countries Malaysia and Indonesia were also popular, with Desaru Beach Resorts (6th) and Bintan Island Resorts (10th) in the most searched list.