K-pop star beats President Obama and the Pope on Time 100 Reader's Poll
Time magazine's prestigious annual 100 Most Influential People list was revealed this week.
With influencers from politics, business and entertainment - it is a mix of names well-known, semi-known and known to a select few. All are major players on the world stage.
Also released on Thursday (April 16) was the results of the Reader's Poll - containing a very surprising addition.
Topping the list was Russian president Vladimir Putin.
In second place?
Behold 2NE1's leader Lee Chaelin, more popularly known by her stage name, CL.
The 24-year-old beat out big names like President Obama, Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift and Pope Francis.
Bearing in mind that it is a popular vote, and open world wide the other names in the top five all from music.
That's Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Taylor Swift in third, fourth and fifth place respectively.
Votes for the poll were mostly from the US, Canada and the UK.
In the past, the poll has been manipulated. In 2009, Internet hacker site 4Chan managed to get its founder, moot (aka Christopher Poole) to the top. It then set up the follwing 20 places so that the first letters of every name would spell out 'marblecake also the game'.
APPEARANCE
Aside from Mr Putin, the only other non-entertainers to crack the Top 10 were the Dalai Lama, Malala Yousafzai and Pope Francis.
The Barack and Michelle Obama landed just outside the Top 10.
However, despite hitting the second spot, CL did not figure on the final Top 100 list.
Her appearance on the Reader's Poll has some baffled.
Other Korean acts like Rain and Psy have figured before (though neither made it to the official Top 100 either).
Just before voting closed, she had been leading the poll until Putin's last minute surge of votes propelled him to the top.
PHOTO: YG ENTERTAINMENT AND LIVE NATION KOREA
Allkpop reported that CL recently gave her first major performance in the US at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Florida alongside Skrillex and P.Diddy (below).
A spokesman for her management company, YG Entertainment, said that more than 6.87 million watched the live streamed performance.
WATCH: CL holds her own in the US (from 9:11)
CL is also preparing for her solo US debut.
Kpop Starz reported that Billboard's Jeff Benjamin said: "If she can maintain her natural power... she will be part of the American pop music market."
She has the potential to break into international markets.
Born in Korea, but having lived in Japan and France when she was young, CL speaks English, Korean, Japanese and French.
Which is more than a number those who made it to the final Top 100.
Here she is talking about attending international schools her and her views on the standard of Chinese food overseas.
Source: Time Magazine, Allkpop, KpopStarz, YouTube
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