So, who’s the most influential person on the planet, according to Time magazine’s online poll? Why, Rain of course! [NYT]
Rain takes Time’s No. 1 spot
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{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
I received an e-mail a few years ago asking me to vote for Jesus as the most influential person. An organized campaign to make Rain bigger than Jesus wouldn’t surprise me.
What a pile of wank.
What’s even funnier is the Korea Times running it on the front page as a serious news item.
What I find even more surprising is how so many people take Time’s Influential People list seriously. Why?!
What do you get when you take the most wired nation, throw in a ton of nationalism and very little in the way of ethics?
An internet-based, ballet-stuffing joke of a vote.
Rain (or “bi”, as he is more aptly called in English) is the PLANET’S most influential person!
“The results, they said, could have been influenced by the poll having been publicized on blogs and fan sites, making it possible that Rain’s devotees stuffed the virtual ballot box.”
No shit, Sherlock. Really, why don’t they all out and say that his fans not only stuff the ballot with high scores for Bi and low scores for anyone else on the list that was perceived as a threat?
Point. Click. Refreshy. I like a good farce. Point. Click. Refreshy. I voted for him tens of thousands of times. Point. Click. Refreshy.
At one point the efforts of the loyal subjects of His Royal Highness King Bhumibol of Thailand had him surpass Rain. Point. Click. Refresh.
Why should those of us who live here be the only ones who have a good laugh? Point. Click. Refreshy.
You people need to read some real blogs to keep up with news like this:
http://partypooper.blogs.com/partypooper/2007/04/rain_the_light_.html
http://partypooper.blogs.com/partypooper/2007/04/knetizen_comeup.html
No need to thank me.
All of you are just afraid to admit what this is: the proudest day in Korea’s five-thousand year history.
It was sloppy and unbelievably naive for the Time writer of this article not to look into Korean netizens’ notorious history of fouling on-line polls.
Considering all the delightfully interesting people from Korea, this mere entertainer wins a poll in an American magazine!?
I guess if one were to put a room full of monkeys to work, typing on computers, eventually either “Hamlet” or enough winning votes for “Rain” would be produced.
Jealousy is an ugly thing, expats. The sooner you quit living in your own little fantasy land where Rain is NOT the most influential weather phenomenon in the world, the better off you’ll be.
Further, you should all be ashamed of your unconscious but implied homophobia. Rain is the Justin Timberlake of Korea. NOT the Lance Bass of Korea. He likes girls. When the cameras are around.
I sincerely hope Bi isn’t that influental, because I remember him most for his oft-played commercial where he urges you (and the kids!) to “do X”.
Strange little comment there, Blueballs.
So how many times did you vote for Bi?
Seth (#5): Yeah, it’s implausible that Rain/Bi could be the most influential person on the planet (hah!), but sadly, online ballot stuffing is common enough even in the USA to have a name: “freeping,” from the practice of Free Republic readers voting en masse in online polls.
The same goes for seouldout and slim…don’t want to single poor Mr. Gecko out on this one.
But yes, I heartily concur with one and all that no offense to Rain or his fans, but this is a joke.
Isn’t this the same poll that failed to honor Osama bin Laden as the most influential person of 2001?
Didn’t some other guy get it that year?
As per the request of the Most Influential Homosexual Weather Event’s management team, you may also refer to Rain as the Michael Jackson of Korea, or the Michael Jackson of Asia.
Granted, when using either of these terms, you must include the full caveat, as follows:
Rain: The Michael Jackson of Korea (Asia), but only in the musical and performance sense, and NOT in the fingering of small children’s rectums and/or distributing of Jesus Juice for the purpose of receiving oral relief sense.
are you, um, straight, blue balls?
Why are you trying so hard to tie Rain with homosexuality?
This has taken a disgusting turn!
The female species covers my blueball needs with room to spare.
I’m sure Rain is merely a victim, much like the author of this sad tale:
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/34118
“freeping,”
My word of the day! Thanks, sewing!
-Poor Mr. Gecko (lol!)
Now dare to say that South Korea is homophobic!!!
Rain? He’ll probably never release a record in the US, or at least not under that name.
It’s a pretty obvious name choice for a band, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there isn’t already recorded or released a record in the US under that name, which means they own it.
The band Bush had to release its first couple of albums under the name ‘Bush X’ in Canada because the name had already been used in the early 70′s by guys that had some influence on the Canadian music scene.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domenic_Troiano
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prakash_John
That’s should have been “I wouldn’t be surprised if a band hasn’t already recorded or released…”
Nevermind Rain. If Kim Jong Il ever decides to change his career from dictator to gangsta rap artist, he’d be an instant world sensation.
He’s got already got the basic look: fat, puffy hairdo, dark shades, and the Communist suit (which also look amazingly like prison oufit). A gold tooth and a thick chain would enhance his image. His various accomplishments in counterfeiting greenbacks and Marlboro’s, money laundering, drug trafficking, leader of a rogue nation, constantly vilified and chased by the world’s police (the US) gives him mad street cred. His taste for imported cognac and blonde Scandinavian girls makes him a pimp of the highest order.
Excellent idea.
Wow. That just blew my mind.
Add in his penchant for making movies and overall desire for self-aggrandizing mythos, and he’s got the whole package.
All I gotta say about this is… f***ing 오빠부대s…
Ugh, how can Bi win against His Holiness (Stephen Colbert)?!!!
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