Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40

Last updated September 12, 2025

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Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 is an annual list published by Forbes Korea magazine since 2009.^[1]^[2] The catalog presents a compilation of the forty most powerful celebrities in the South Korean sports and entertainment spheres. These figures are classified based on their noteworthy accomplishments in their respective fields, media exposure, social media popularity, scope of appearances, and their earnings throughout the previous year.^[3]^[4]Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 is the Korean version of the Highest-paid Celebrity 100 selected annually by Forbes in the United States.^[5]

Top 10 by year

2009

Figure skater Yuna Kim YuNaKimInVancouver.jpg — Figure skater Yuna Kim

Rank	Name	Profession
1	Yuna Kim	Figure skater
2	Big Bang	Boy group
3	Wonder Girls	Girl group
4	Lee Hyori	Singer
5	Girls' Generation	Girl group
6	Park Ji-sung	Football player
7	Lee Seung-yuop	Baseball player
8	Rain	Singer
9	Yoo Jae-suk	Comedian, TV host
10	Kim Tae-hee	Actress

2010

Rank	Name	Profession
1	Yuna Kim	Figure skater
2	Girls' Generation	Girl group
3	Park Ji-sung	Football player
4	Lee Byung-hun	Actor
5	Big Bang	Boy group
6	Go Hyun-jung	Actress
7	Lee Seung-gi	Singer, actor, TV host
8	Lee Hyo-ri	Singer
9	Yoo Jae-suk	Comedian, TV host
10	Kang Ho-dong	Comedian, TV host

2011

Rank	Name	Profession
1	Girls' Generation	Girl group
2	Park Ji-sung	Soccer player
3	Yuna Kim	Figure skater
4	Lee Seung-gi	Singer, actor, TV host
5	2PM	Boy group
6	Yoo Jae-suk	Comedian, TV host
7	Lee Chung-yong	Football player
8	2AM	Boy group
9	Shin-soo Choo	Baseball player
10	Kang Ho-dong	Comedian, TV host

2012

Rank	Name	Profession
1	Girls' Generation	Girl group
2	Big Bang	Boy group
3	IU	Singer, actress
4	Kara	Girl group
5	Yuna Kim	Figure skater
6	Lee Seung-gi	Singer, actor, TV host
7	Park Ji-sung	Football player
8	Kim Tae-hee	Actress
9	Beast	Boy group
10	Park Tae-hwan	Swimmer

2013

Rank	Name	Profession
1	Psy	Singer
2	Girls' Generation	Girl group
3	Son Yeon-jae	Rhythmic gymnast
4	Kim Soo-hyun	Actor
5	Big Bang	Boy group
6	Park Tae-hwan	Swimmer
7	Song Joong-ki	Actor
8	IU	Singer, actress
9	Yuna Kim	Figure skater
10	Super Junior	Boy group

2014

Rank	Name	Profession
1	Girls' Generation	Girl group
2	Big Bang	Boy group
3	Suzy	Singer, actress
4	Ryu Hyun-jin	Baseball player
5	Exo	Boy group
6	Choo Shin-soo	Baseball player
7	TVXQ	Boy band
8	Shinee	Boy band
9	Yuna Kim	Figure skater
10	IU	Singer, actress

2015

Rank	Name	Profession
1	Exo	Boy group
2	Kim Soo-hyun	Actor
3	Yuna Kim	Figure skater
4	Jun Ji-hyun	Actress
5	Son Yeon-jae	Rhythmic gymnast
6	Lee Seung-gi	Singer, actor, TV host
7	Ryu Hyun-Jin	Baseball player
8	Son Heung-Min	Football player
9	Girls' Generation	Girl group
10	Sistar	Girl group

2016

Rank	Name	Profession
1	Exo	Boy group
2	Yoo Ah-in	Actor
3	Hyeri	Singer, actress
4	Girls' Generation	Girl group
5	Kim Soo-hyun	Actor
6	Big Bang	Boy group
7	Inbee Park	Golfer
8	Jun Ji-hyun	Actress
9	IU	Singer, actress
10	Jung-ho Kang	Baseball player

2017

Rank	Name	Profession
1	Park Bo-gum	Actor
2	Song Joong-ki	Actor
3	Twice	Girl group
4	Exo	Boy group
5	BTS	Boy group
6	Suzy	Singer, actress
7	Song Hye-kyo	Actress
8	Kim Yoo-jung	Actress
9	Jo Jung-suk	Actor
10	Oh Seung-hwan	Baseball player

2018

Rank	Name	Profession
1	BTS	Boy group
2	Wanna One	Boy group
3	Twice	Girl group
4	Exo	Boy band
5	IU	Singer, actress
6	Song Hye-kyo	Actress
7	Song Joong-ki	Actor
8	Park Bo-gum	Actor
9	Yuna Kim	Figure skater
10	Hyun-jin Ryu	Baseball player

2019

Rank	Name	Profession
1	Blackpink	Girl group
2	BTS	Boy group
3	Wanna One	Boy group
4	Kang Daniel	Singer
5	Red Velvet	Girl group
6	Park Na-rae	Comedian
7	Hong Jin-young	Singer
8	Han Ji-min	Actress
9	Son Heung-min	Football player
10	Exo	Boy group

2020

Rank	Name	Profession
1	BTS	Boy group
2	Hyun-jin Ryu	Baseball player
3	Blackpink	Girl group
4	Son Heung-min	Football player
5	Bong Joon-ho	Filmmaker
6	Jun Hyun-moo	TV host
7	Park Na-rae	Comedian
8	Lee Soo-geun	Comedian
9	Twice	Girl group
10	Kim Hee-chul	Singer, TV host

2021

Rank	Name	Profession
1	BTS	Boy group
2	Blackpink	Girl group
3	Hyun-jin Ryu	Baseball player
4	Son Heung-min	Football player
5	Lim Young-woong	Singer
6	Kwang-hyun Kim	Baseball player
7	Yoo Jae-suk	Comedian, TV host
8	Young Tak	Singer
9	Jung Dong-won
10	Jang Yoon-jeong

2022

Rank	Name	Profession
1	BTS	Boy group
2	Blackpink	Girl group
3	Son Heung-min	Football player
4	Hyun-jin Ryu	Baseball player
5	Lee Chan-won	Singer
6	Lee Seung-gi	Singer, actor, TV host
7	Lim Young-woong	Singer
8	Youn Yuh-jung	Actress
9	Yoo Jae-suk	Comedian, TV host
10	Jang Minho	Singer

2023

Rank	Name	Profession
1	BTS	Boy group
2	Son Heung-min	Football player
3	Blackpink	Girl group
4	Song Joong-ki	Actor
5	Yoo Jae-suk	Comedian, TV host
6	Lim Young-woong	Singer
7	Son Suk-ku	Actor
8	Jang Minho	Singer
9	Jang Yoon-jeong
10	Young Tak

2024

Rank	Name	Profession
1	Blackpink	Girl group
2	Son Heung-min	Football player
3	NewJeans	Girl group
4	Kim Min-jae	Football player
5	Lim Young-woong	Singer
6	Lee Jung-hoo	Baseball player
7	Jimin	Singer
8	Lee Kang-in	Football player
9	Jungkook	Singer
10	Ive	Girl group

2025

Rank	Name	Profession
1	IU	Singer, actress
2	Son Heung-min	Football player
3	Aespa	Girl group
4	Jun Hyun-moo	TV host
5	Lim Young-woong	Singer
6	Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok	Professional gamer
7	Lee Jung-hoo	Baseball player
8	Seventeen	Boy group
9	Lee Kang-in	Football player
10	Yoo Jae-suk	Comedian, TV host

References

↑ Son, Yong-seok; Baek, Seul-gi (February 23, 2009). 김연아 1위 [Kim Yu-na 1st place]. JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 24, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021– via Joins.
↑ Hicap, Jonathan M. (March 5, 2014). "Girls' Generation tops Forbes Korea's 2014 celeb list". Manila Bulletin . Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
↑ Benjamin, Jeff (February 28, 2013). "PSY, Girls' Generation Top Forbes Korea's Celebrity List". Billboard . Archived from the original on May 23, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
↑ Cho, Deuk-jin (February 25, 2016). "Exo and Yoo Ah-in ranked top stars". Korea JoongAng Daily . Archived from the original on May 24, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
↑ 여경미 (April 28, 2025). K팝·K드라마 여왕 등극한 아이유. Forbes Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 28, 2025. Retrieved April 29, 2025– via Naver.

External links

Full list of individuals in the 2025 list (in Korean)
Full list of individuals in the 2024 list (in Korean)
Full list of individuals in the 2022 list (in Korean)
Full list of individuals in the 2021 list (in Korean)
Full list of individuals in the 2020 list (in Korean)
Full list of individuals in the 2019 list (in Korean)
Full list of individuals in the 2018 list (in Korean)
Full list of individuals in the 2017 list (in Korean)
Full list of individuals in the 2016 list (in Korean)
Full list of individuals in the 2015 list (in Korean)
Top 10 individuals in the 2014 list
Full list of individuals in the 2013 list (subscription required)(in Korean)
Full list of individuals in the 2012 list (subscription required)(in Korean)
Full list of individuals in the 2011 list (subscription required)(in Korean)
Full list of individuals in the 2010 list (subscription required)(in Korean)
Full list of individuals in the 2009 list (subscription required)(in Korean)

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[1] Son, Yong-seok; Baek, Seul-gi (February 23, 2009). 김연아 1위 [Kim Yu-na 1st place]. JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 24, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021– via Joins.

[2] Hicap, Jonathan M. (March 5, 2014). "Girls' Generation tops Forbes Korea's 2014 celeb list". Manila Bulletin . Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved May 24, 2021.

[3] Benjamin, Jeff (February 28, 2013). "PSY, Girls' Generation Top Forbes Korea's Celebrity List". Billboard . Archived from the original on May 23, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021.

[4] Cho, Deuk-jin (February 25, 2016). "Exo and Yoo Ah-in ranked top stars". Korea JoongAng Daily . Archived from the original on May 24, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021.

[5] 여경미 (April 28, 2025). K팝·K드라마 여왕 등극한 아이유. Forbes Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 28, 2025. Retrieved April 29, 2025– via Naver.

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