The group Stray Kids is holding the trophy after winning the 'Best K-pop' category at the '2023 MTV Video Music Awards' (MTV VMA) held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, USA, in September 2023. Photo by AP Yonhap News
The group Stray Kids, Cha Eunwoo?member of Astro and actor?and actress Go Minshi have been selected for the 'Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2025' list, which highlights influential people under the age of 30 in Asia, as announced by the U.S. business magazine Forbes.
The list for the Entertainment & Sports category, published on Forbes' website on the 14th (local time), also includes the hearing-impaired idol group Big Ocean and actress Ha Yerin.
Forbes described Stray Kids as "the third K-pop group to top the main U.S. Billboard album chart, the 'Billboard 200,' six consecutive times," and noted that "they are gaining global popularity with their intense and sophisticated rock hits." The group was also named next-generation leaders by Time magazine in 2023 and performed at the American Music Awards last year.
Cha Eunwoo made his acting debut in the 2014 film "My Brilliant Life" and began his music career as a member of Astro in 2016. Forbes introduced him as "one of the most popular models in the advertising industry and an ambassador for various brands."
Regarding Go Minshi, who won the Best New Actress award at the Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2023 for the film "Smugglers," Forbes highlighted "her persistent preparation process and her strength in portraying a wide range of characters."
Ha Yerin drew attention after being cast as the lead in season 4 of Netflix's "Bridgerton." She has also appeared in "Halo," produced by Steven Spielberg, and the boarding school drama "Bad Behaviour." As the granddaughter of actress Son Sook, she has built experience in both dance and theater.
Big Ocean is the world's first hearing-impaired idol group. They attracted attention with performances using AI-recorded vocals and stage vibration devices. The group released their first mini-album in November last year, and their social media followers have surpassed one million.
In the Arts & Food category, chef Kwon Sungjun, winner of season 1 of Netflix's "Chef vs. Chef: Culinary Class War," was selected. He studied at the Italian culinary school ALMA and built his career at Michelin-starred restaurants such as Le Calandre and Dani Maison.
Other honorees include sculptor Jung Yujin and Kim Kijeong, CEO of Coxwave, which operates the AI product analytics platform Align AI, each recognized in their respective fields.
Forbes' "30 Under 30 Asia" annually selects 30 individuals under the age of 30 who have demonstrated influence in their industries across the Asia-Pacific region. The list covers a total of ten categories, including technology, business, entertainment, arts, sports, and social impact.
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