Jungkook of BTS Ranks 15th on AOL’s List of World’s Most Famous People, Alongside Ronaldo and Musk

Jungkook of BTS was named among the world’s 15 most famous individuals, once again confirming his status as a global icon. He appeared at 15th place on a list of the top 15 world celebrities recently compiled by the U.S.-based portal site AOL, using his real name “Jeon Jungkook.” Being the only Asian to make the list, he stood alongside global figures from politics, sports, and culture such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Elon Musk, and Barack Obama.

He is one of only two male artists on the list alongside Justin Bieber. AOL described Jungkook’s diverse appeal by stating, “This versatile billionaire boasts numerous talents as an outstanding singer, rapper, songwriter, director, producer, and art enthusiast.”

Jungkook’s global influence is evident across various metrics. In 2025, he ranked first among all male K-pop idols in terms of the most searches on YouTube worldwide, holding this position for five consecutive years. He also topped the list of most searched male idols in the United States that same year and remained the most searched K-pop idol on Google for over five years. On the global short-video platform TikTok, he became the first solo artist in the world to exceed 300 billion views using the hashtag #jungkook.

He has also won numerous awards at major U.S. ceremonies. At the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards, he received the “Artist of the Year – K-Pop” award, and at the 2024 People’s Choice Awards, he became the first and only Asian artist to win the “Male Artist of the Year” prize.

Reputations from music industry outlets and organizations further reflect Jungkook’s standing. He was the first and only Korean male singer to be included in Rolling Stone’s list of “The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time,” and he ranked first on Billboard’s “2024 Billboard K-Pop Artists 100” list. He also made it onto the “A100” list of “The 100 Most Influential Asians” by the non-profit organization Goldhouse, which supports cultural and artistic professionals in the Asia-Pacific region. Additionally, he was the only K-pop artist included in Hollywood Reporter’s “Platinum Player Power List,” a compilation of this year’s top 25 musicians.

Meanwhile, the story gained rapid traction on social media when Eriko Kitagawa, known as a master of Japanese dramas, expressed interest after seeing a promotional photo of BTS’s V on X (formerly Twitter), asking, “Who is this person?” In response, she wrote, “Thank you. I knew about BTS. I recognized them even though I didn’t notice at first. Wow, they are truly amazing,” showing her deep impression of him.