Lisa, Ros?, Seventeen, Han Kang, Bong Joonho... 100 Leaders Chosen in the U.S.

Named Among the "100 Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Region"

The group Seventeen, Blackpink members Lisa and Ros?, novelist Han Kang, and others were named among the "100 Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Region" announced by the U.S. nonprofit organization Gold House on May 1 (local time).

Gold House is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that supports artists and cultural figures from the Asia-Pacific region. Every year, the organization selects 100 individuals who have had a significant impact on the culture and society of the Asia-Pacific region and announces the "A100" list.

Seventeen. Pledis

This year, a diverse group of Koreans were included. The list features Seventeen, a leading K-pop boy group; Blackpink's Ros? and Lisa; novelist Han Kang; Lee Byung-hun, Lee Jung-jae, and director Hwang Dong-hyuk of "Squid Game 2"; professional gamer Faker (Lee Sanghyeok); and Kim Junkoo, CEO of Naver Webtoon and Webtoon Entertainment, among others.

On May 2, Gold House described Seventeen as "K-pop icons," stating, "They have taken the lead in the music industry through their unique 'self-production' based on the interaction of their distinctive sub-units." The organization added, "Celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, Seventeen continues to reinvent themselves."

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Regarding Lisa, Gold House noted, "Following Blackpink's success, she has also gained fame as a solo artist." The selection was based on several achievements, including her singles "Lalisa" and "Money" entering the Billboard Global 200 chart. As for Ros?, they stated, "With her first solo album 'rosie' and the hit single 'APT.' in collaboration with Bruno Mars, she achieved the highest ranking ever for a female K-pop artist on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the first to top the U.S. Top 40 Radio chart."

About author Han Kang, Gold House explained, "She is a renowned Korean writer known for her poetic and emotional novels that explore themes of historical trauma, human vulnerability, and transformation." The organization also highlighted that "in 2024, she became the first Korean and the first Asian female writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature."

Regarding Kim Junkoo, CEO of Naver Webtoon and Webtoon Entertainment, Gold House stated, "He joined Naver as a developer in 2004 and has accumulated over 19 years of experience in comics and digital content." They further explained, "Since founding Webtoon Entertainment in 2016, he has served as CEO and led the company's IPO last year."

In addition, professional gamer Faker (Lee Sanghyeok) of the e-sports team T1, director Bong Joonho, "Squid Game" director Hwang Dong-hyuk, and actors Lee Byunghun and Lee Jungjae were also included. The girl group Aespa was named in the "New Gold" list, which recognizes emerging leaders in the Asia-Pacific region.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.