If you are still thinking that the BTS members are the most influential people in South Korea, you are wrong. While the K-pop group has established its name worldwide, someone else is ruling the Korean entertainment industry domestically as the most influential celebrity.
This has been revealed in a recent yearly survey conducted by the Sisa Journal. According to its analysis, Yoo Jae Suk has surpassed BTS and grabbed the top spot on the list of the most influential figures in the industry.
The comedian and host is a popular television personality who has hosted various shows over the years, like Running Man, Infinite Challenge, Happy Together, and Hangout with Yoo. With a degree in acting from the Seoul Institute of the Arts, Yoo made his television debut in 1991 at the KBS Comedian Festival. One of his most popular, highest-rated shows is X-Man, which also earned him the nickname “the nation’s MC.”
With years of history as a noted celebrity on Korean television, Yoo Jae Suk has remained the top pick for the Sisa Journal’s list, which is categorized into two sections for the regular people and expert professionals from the industry.
Currently, Jae Suk leads the list for regular civilians, with a total of 70 points. BTS is quite behind him because the group was able to garner only 31.4 points. Following them is Kang Ho Dong, another renowned TV personality who is known for his hosting skills in shows like Ask Anything (Knowing Bros). He was able to accumulate 13.8 points. Singer-actress IU also has a tie-up with him on the same points. Her recent fame can be attributed to When Life Gives You Tangerines, where she impressed everyone with her acting skills.
The top 10 list for the regular audience also included names like Shin Dong Youp, Jun Hyun Moo, Lim Young Woong, BLACKPINK, Son Seok Hwi, and Kim Oh Jun.
The expert list by the Sisa Journal also appeared more or less the same, where BTS trailed behind Yoo Jae Suk with 23.6 points. The top 3 spots for this list were grabbed by BLACKPINK, IU, and Kang Ho Dong. Other acts whose names were also mentioned are Son Seok Hwi, Shin Dong Youp, Na Young Seok, Jun Hyun Moo, and Kim Oh Jun.
The current results in the list show a significant increase in the rankings of the BTS members, despite the fact that they remain behind Yoo Jae Suk. The OT7 improved their position by 12 points in the civilian list, and had a growth of 1.6 points in the experts list. This improvement can be attributed to the K-pop group’s return from military enlistment this year.
Now that they have already reunited to work on new projects, we can hope that their rankings increase soon.