Is PSY the Jennifer Lopez of Korea? According to Forbes, that may be true. The full list for Forbes Korea’s “2013 Power Celebrity 40” was revealed this week with PSY unsurprisingly taking the top spot. He snatches the No. 1 position from Girls’ Generation who held it for two years and now settle in at No. 2.
The Forbes Korea list is created based on earnings, influence, reputation and professionalism. The ranking methodology is just like the U.S. Forbes “Celebrity 100” list that Lopez topped last year.
PSY shines in the categories not only for the huge amount he earned from his worldwide “Gangnam Style” promotions, but also from always representing South Korea in a positive light like shouting out his country when on Ellen DeGeneres (below).
Girls’ Generation fall to No. 2 this year after topping the list for the past two years. As a group, the nine girls only promoted internationally, focusing mostly on Japan and the U.S. Still their power remains as one of the most powerful celebrity entities and with a No. 1 K-Pop Hot 100 single and successful album, 2013 is looking equally hot.
BIGBANG, who was at No. 2 last year, slip to No. 5. With their successful “Alive” EP and a massive world tour, it’s not a stretch to call them K-pop’s biggest boy band. Other massive boy groups made the list including Super Junior (at No. 10), 2PM (No. 15), INFINITE (No. 20), CNBLUE (No. 21), TVXQ! (No. 23), JYJ (No. 25) and B2ST (No. 29). Super Junior, INFINITE and CNBLUE are the only groups to rise on the list while B2ST, despite an EP release, tumbled 20 spots.
K-Pop Hot 100 history maker Lee Seung Gi just missed the Top 10 at No. 11. Alongside PSY, he is one of the most sought-after commercial stars.
The list includes notable K-pop females including IU (No. 8), KARA (No. 13), miss A (No. 17) and SISTAR (No. 26) all chart. Girl group T-ara makes the list at No. 22 despite a controversial bullying scandal mid-year that has kept the group mostly quiet.