“Running Man” star and host Yoo Jae-suk and K-pop idol group BTS were voted by experts as the most influential figures in the broadcasting and entertainment industry in South Korea.
Sisa Journal, a major weekly magazine in South Korea, conducted the survey from June 18 to July 16 among 1,000 experts consisting of 703 male and 297 female. By age, 207 people were in their 30s, 305 people were in their 40s, 370 people were in their 50s and 118 people were in their 60s or older.
The magazine has been running the “Who Moves Korea” survey for 32 years since 1989, the longest-running project in the history of Korean media. The survey is conducted among 1,000 people with 100 each in 10 fields including government officials, professors, journalists, lawyers, politicians, businessmen, finance people, social groups, cultural artists and religious people.
Yoo Jae-suk was voted No. 1 with 64.1 percent. The 49-year-old star is the main host of the Korean TV programs “Running Man,” “Hangout with Yoo,” “You Quiz on the Block” and “The Sixth Sense.”
He has won numerous awards including the “daesang,” or grand prize, at the Baeksang Arts Awards, KBS Entertainment Awards, MBC Entertainment Awards and SBS Entertainment Awards.
Grammy nominee BTS placed second with 31 percent. BTS topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 straight weeks consisting of nine weeks for “Butter” and one week for “Permission to Dance.” BTS became the first Korean artist to grab the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100 chart.
Here are the most influential persons in broadcasting and entertainment industry in South Korea in 2021, according to the Sisa Journal survey:
1. Yoo Jae-suk (TV host, comedian) - 64.1 percent
2. BTS (singer) - 31 percent
3. Kang Ho-dong (TV host, comedian) - 12.5 percent
4. 2021 Oscars best supporting actress Youn Yuh-jung - 8.4 percent
5. Baek Jong-won (celebrity chef) - 4.4 percent
6. Shin Dong-yup (TV host, comedian) - 4 percent
7. Choi Bool-am (veteran actor) - 3 percent
8. Lim Young-woong (trot singer) - 2.6 percent
9. IU (singer) - 2.1 percent
10. Jun Hyun-moo (TV host, announcer) - 2 percent
In comparison, here are the 2020 Sisa Journal survey results:
1. Yoo Jae-suk (TV host, comedian) - 66.1 percent
2. BTS (singer) - 27.4 percent
3. Kang Ho-dong (TV host, comedian) - 16.2 percent
4. Baek Jong-won (celebrity chef) - 6.7 percent
5. Lee Hyori (singer) - 5.8 percent
6. Lim Young-woong (trot singer) - 5.8 percent
7. Park Na-rae (comedian) - 4.4 percent
8. Song Kang-ho (actor) - 4.3 percent
9. Na Young-seok (producer) - 3.4 percent
10. Song Ga-in (trot singer) - 3 percent