I just don't think he's really "influential" that's all. It's good that he's going to the States and all but I don't think that's influential... If TIME only noticed him because of the MSG concerts, then that's dumb, cos I know many Chinese entertainers who have sold out their shows when they come here to North America.
I dunno, I think I just have a different perspective in what I see as influential. Rain had to do acting in Full House before he got the attention in Asia (mind you, his last drama did bad in Korea). As for BoA, she didn't need to do acting, she didn't need to sing in English or w/e, all she did was just work in Japan/Korea (and sometimes China) and still have her popularity equal to/greater than Rain's popularity. There's also been countless "BoA#2" and she's the one of the people who are helping brdige the gaps between Chinia-Korea-Japn. Ayu also, she didn't have to sing in another language or act to gain attention outside of Japan yet she has tens of thousands of young girls follow her trends etc. and also have singers who want to be like her. And both Ayu and BoA also have tens of thousands of fans worldwide. Both BoA and Ayu did a lot less and their popularity is still equal/greater than Rain's who had to do so much more to get this kind of popularity. That's why I think BoA and Ayu are more influential than Rain.
As for Hikki, I admit, I only put her there cos she did release an English Album and she did chart on Billboard... plus I think she has the best selling album in Asia.
But if I was in TIME, I would have just stopped at Ang Lee.

I agree with SunshineSlayer/greggerz189. Rain isn't as big in Japan as TIME wrote it to be.

No, he is not. You don't see or hear very much about him, if at all in Japan.

Interesting. Yet weird.

I don't really think he's all that great. To me, he seems to be the asian Usher. Oh well, good for him though.

Ayu definitely deserve a place in this list.

oh dear

yeah, why did they pick rain? but i'm glad they have an asian artist in the magazine. ^^;;

RAIN, what a joke, somebody please kill me

I think the fact is there like really trying to hype up Rain coming to America. I have to say there doing a great job. People are really going to know about Rain. I don't understand why everyones like "why Rain and not BoA". I mean is BoA releasing an English album this year? I mean Rain could really bridge that crossing over gap. Who cares if you don't like Rain. As long as he's making it easier for other Asian singers to crossover I don't think people should be hating. I mean sorry you all don't like Rain but if you had the choice for Rain to pave the way or no Asian star to be able to successfully crossover which would you pick???

This whole paragraph doesn't make sense to me. First you question why everyone likes Rain and not BoA. Then you go on and say that we shouldn't hate on Rain.... I think you're getting your Korean star names mixed up. And, I don't know if this was part of the mix-up as well, but BoA isn't releasing an English album this year.

I was saying people are like "Why did they choose Rain and not BoA?" (Which I just corrected so there's no misunderstanding). As for the BoA releasing an English album I put s period instead of a question mark. Which is my poimt. BoA isn't releasing an English album. So theres no point in asking why Rain instead of her.

a joke, how is he influential! does he even write his own music etc. A person like jay chou or leehom wang who writes their own lyrics and produces themselves... those people are more influential. he isnt even that successful. I was reading a article and they made a big deal when he sold 1million for his album in asia. Ayumi hamasaki has sold 2.9+ million with Duty.. and thats Japan alone.
RAIN = a joke. I dont want a guy like him to represent Asian music. And is the album he is going to be releasing... is it all english? cuz if it is.. how is that paving the way for asian music.

lol i don't get what he does that shapes our world, he's just popular but other than that he's very mainstream

people who know him tell me "he has the best body!", "he's so hot!" "he's such a good dancer" and other things about his appearance but never his music, everytime i see him in a pic he's always shirtless xD

the article should say "Rain, The People Who Shape Girls Desire"

^LMAO, i agree! i don't understand how he actually SHAPES the world either. :shrug

i understand why
he has modjo
he s my man!

Well I'm happy 4 RAIN^_^ At least they're giving him some recognition that could hype his album. But in my opinion he isn't the BIGGEST star in Asia. If I remeber correctly Japan is the 2nd biggest music industry in the World meaning that artist in Japan come close to making what Americans make. Bi I don't think is that big yet in JP. If they nominated anybody it should of been Kuu because she is hot right now in Asia and released some english music. Crystal Kay could have been too since an english album is probably in her future. And a lot of people don't know SATOMI yet but she's like already releasing music in JP and UK and creating a buzz. I believe her music has a chance of making it into the US because a lot of artist from the UK come to the US and gain fame (Spice Girls, Craig David, Joss Stone, etc...)

Even though I don't listen to both of them.. I think BoA deserves it A LOT more. She broke the boundaries of Japanese music being allowed to be listened to in Korea, right?

So there, she deserves it a lot more.

In order to shape the world you have to change something, make an impact and also reach out to a lot of people. I don't know Rain at all so I can't judge. But f.ex inthe case of BoA, I don't see how she changed anything. She is a korean star in japan, but foreign stars aren't unheard of in japan before. And how she makes any difference in rest of asia I woulden't know. SHe's still another AVEX idol, and her sales aren't that tremendous.

I'm not saying that rain shoulden't be on the list I'm not questioning that, but I feel like listing the reasons for why Ayu could've been listed, even though she's first and foremost a domestic star:

first: Japan is the second biggest music market in the world, and it's considered one of the toughest and pickiest markets in many different areas, f.ex electronics. Japanese fashion is recognised increasingly by the entire world.

Ayu is the female who's sold most in japanese history, thus reached a LOT of people with her music. She's also probably the east asian based female artist with the biggest fanbase world-wide (judging from the amount information in english on the internet). Her remixes has reached every corner of the planet. (When ferry corsten was in norway Ayumi Hamasaki was even mentioned in the articles and ads, also the drizzly releases).

She's held responsible for changing japan and it's music, being the first idol to write her own music and lyrics. In that way she changed the old "aidoru"-image. Now there are a lot of girls writing own music and lyrics, the most famous one being Ai Otsuka.

Ayumi is also very popular in rest of asia, her music hits number one in charts in other asian countries.

She started fashion waves in japan, thus affecting fashion across the globe.

Well for BoA, she is a korean. It's a lot harder for koreans to make it big in Japan. Her sales may not be like ayu's but having 2xMillion selling albums is pretty good. Plus, 4 straight #1 original albums and also breaking the tension between mainly JP/KR (and to some extent CN) is imo, quite influential. Plus, she made it a lot more easier for other korean stars to try go outside of korea and there have been countless "BoA #2"s out there.

SOrry, I was underestimating BoA a bit, but I don't think she's had a big impact on the tension, but I do believe she's representing the first generation of koreans making it big in japan. =) However, there's no sign of better relations between the countries, diden't korea almost declare war the other week?

The thing is, the fact he needed dramas to increase he's popularity doesn't make him less popular. He's more popular than BoA ever was around Asia. He's album was the best-selling album of the year in China, in Korea, in Malaysia, in Singapore and lots and lots of other asian countries while BoA sells good in a few asian countries. His concert in stadiums in Asia were ALL sold-out. He's much much more popular than BoA ever was.

Plus, he IS big in Japan. He was the first asian (non-japanese) artist to be invited to permorm of MTV Japan awards and he sold-out two concerts at Tokyo International Forum, one in Budokan and one in Osaka-Jo Hall with tickets for 10,000 yen (very expensive, Ayu tickets are 7,000), plus, he has a big fanbase and he's dramas are very popular around there.

Maybe he isn't talented or changed the world, but he is the MOST influentional entertainer in Asia and that's the point of the article.

Oh, btw, BoA isn't the most popular korean entertainer in Japan. Bae-Yong something, the male lead of Winter Sonata, is and he's the one the media says was the one who helped Japan-Korea relationship.. plus, lots of other koreans, mainly actress and actors are more popular than her. And I'm sure lots of asians artists sold-out shows in US but I doubt many of them had 10,000 people at their concert.

True. I guess she tried to relieve the tension.

The only hyped up drama that Rain starred in was only Full House. That's the only truly successful drama he had so far. Take a look at his last drama, (the one about boxing), the ratings were nowhere near what Full House achieved in Korea and it hasn't been hyped about like Full House. I don't think he's THAT big in Japan. I'm pretty sure he had concerts in Japan before his single release, wouldn't you think he would have done at least decent in his sales? I agree that Bae Yong Jun is popular though, but then again, he's mainly popular for Winter Sonata and not much else.
And Andy Lau has had concerts at the SkyDome (in Canada) that easily beat out Rain's MSG 2 concerts.

I'm 100% positive that his album wasn't the best selling album of the year in Taiwan/China/Korea. That year, BoA's album beat his in Korea. As for Tawian/China, I'm pretty sure Jay Chou beat his album's sales. His concerts are not in stadiums. They are comparable to Tokyo International Forum (maximum to about Japan arena size). And also, I don't think he's THAT much popular than BoA. I think he maybe as popular as she is, but not "much more".

Well without Full House, he wouldn't have achieved anywhere near the popularity he has now. BoA didn't need to have dramas to increase her popularity and still has as much popularity as Rain did with both his drama and music combined. That's why I think BoA is more influential that way.