KOREA TOP STAR (3)

Top Korean actor and actress

FORBES KOREA's Top 10 Celebrities, 2014

FORBES KOREA recently released its list of the 40 most influential celebrities in Korea, the top 10 of whom we show here. Income and number of media appearances were among the criteria considered for this ranking. Noteworthy trend: Musical stars Suzy (No. 3) and IU (No. 10) are expanding their résumés by finding work as actresses.

1. Girls’ Generation (or “SNSD”)

Last December the band released a Japanese album called Love & Peace. On the day of release it ranked first on JPOP Oricon Daily Album Chart. Last January released I Got a Boy.

2. Big Bang

The members of the band are versatile: Seungri is an MC host in Japan; Daesung ranked first for his single album on the JPOP chart; bandleader G-Dragon released Coup D’Etat, which ranked first on the iTunes chart in Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong and 8 other countries and positioned him in the Billboard 200. Since last November Big Bang has attracted 771,000 fans in 16 world tour concerts.

3. Suzy

Received Mnet 20’s Drama Star award. Received MBC network’s Best Actress award.

4. Ryu Hyun-Jin

Pitcher with MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers had 14 wins, 8 losses last season.

5. EXO

Rising boy band (12 members). Ranked first for their hit songs. Sold

1 million album CDs.

6. Choo Shin-Soo

Star outfielder had 21 home runs last season with MLB’s Cincinnati Reds. Signed a 7-year contract over the winter with Texas Rangers for $130 million. Recently appeared in quirky, widely ridiculed bulgogi advertisement in the New York Times.

7. TVXQ

Pop duo ranked first on JPOP Oricon chart. Sold 11 million album CDs solely in Japan. Had about 144,000 people at one of their concerts in Japan. World tour included the U.S., Chile, China, Malaysia.

8. SHINee

Boy band sold 185,000 album CDs. Received 3 awards at Golden Disk.

9. Yuna Kim

Figure skater is big endorser: Maeil Milk, Prospects, LG Saffron, Samsung air conditioners. Gold medalist at Vancouver Winter Olympics. Silver at Sochi.

10. IU

Title song of third album, Red Shoes, ranked first in various ranking charts. For 3 weeks the No. 1 through No. 11 songs were all hers on the Top 100 of the Gaon Music Chart. Rising actress. Awarded Rookie of the Year honor on KBS network for her thespian efforts.