Rain is World's Most Influential Person Again

Under the influence

Korean pop start and actor Rain has topped the latest Time Poll 100, in which readers of Time Magazine vote for who they think are the world's most influential people, surprising many non-Koreans who have never heard of him.

Rain received 406,252 votes in the online poll, achieving the No. 1 position among 203 candidates according to Time. He was previously placed first in 2006 and 2007. The success is seen as a major victory for the Ministry of Culture, which had staff working all night before the poll closed clicking voting buttons on the Time website.

Rain's victory once again demonstrates the continued strength of the Korean Wave and the superiority of Korean culture. It also shows how Korean pop stars have become more globally influential than the traditional kind of leaders who many foreigners mistakenly follow, such as U.S. President Barack Obama, who was only ranked 46th in the poll, sixteen places behind his wife.

Rain's supporters are urging him to use his position as the world's most influential person to solve the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which President Obama - with his lesser influence - has failed to do despite repeated attempts. "I'm sure if Rain plays a concert in Jerusalem, Jews and Arabs will join together in their love of Korean pop music and people, and forget their political differences." one fan told us.

But both the Israelis and Palestinians are said to be unenthusiastic about the idea of a Jerusalem concert, fearing it may eventually result in a Korean territorial claim to the city.

Related Links
Rain Rank 1st on Time Poll 100 Again
Korean Pop Star Rain Wins TIME 100 Poll — Again

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