Is anybody surprised that PSY has topped Forbes Korea's Power Celebrity List for 2012? The list, which ranks the top 40 biggest celebrities in Korea based on categories like earnings and influence, was released this week, with the "Gangnam Style" rapper predictably dancing his way straight to the top.
Coming in second place is Girls' Generation. They've appeared in the top five of the list every year since 2008, and topped it in 2010 and 2011. While the power of "Gangnam Style" was too much for The Divine Nine this year, the group still had the most TV advertisements of any act on the list, with a total of 32 commercials in 2012 alone.
BIGBANG came in at No. 5, dropping down three spots since last year. Regardless of the slight dip, they still had a massive 2012 thanks to the success of their Alive EP and its accompanying world tour, and are arguably still the most popular boy band in Korea today.
A few spots lower is IU, who slips five spots to No. 8. The 19-year-old songstress released a hit single ("Every End of the Day") and held her first concert in 2012, but didn't have the benefit of a major acting role or full-scale album promotions to boost her up higher like she did in 2011. She also suffered a scandal in November when a leaked photo linked her to Super Junior's Eunhyuk, severely damaging her virginal image and losing her the title of "The Nation's Little Sister." It'll be interesting to see how she fares next year when her sophomore album drops and the full extent of the scandal can be measured accurately.
Outside of the top ten, the most notable entry on the list is probably SISTAR at No. 26. Their inclusion really solidifies the foursome as the newest top-tier group in K-pop, following their chart-smashing success in 2012. And with their current single, "Gone Not Around Any Longer," currently standing as the biggest hit of 2013, their placement on next year's Forbes list is almost guaranteed to be a lot higher.
Source:Naver News, Soshified
