Forbes lists KDH creators among world’s powerful women

K-pop animation “K-pop Demon Hunters,” or KDH, has placed its main characters, the girl group Huntrix (pictured), along with director Maggie Kang, on Forbes’ list of the “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.”

On Dec. 10 local time, Forbes announced this year’s rankings, placing “the women of KDH” at No. 100. The group includes Huntrix members Lumi, Mira and Joey, as well as female members of the production staff who contributed to the project. Forbes said Maggie Kang, the director behind what has become the most-watched film in Netflix history, and singer-songwriter Ejae created one of 2025’s most powerful cultural phenomena. The magazine cited the film’s popularity and future potential as key reasons the women of KDH were included on the list.

Other South Korean women on the list include Hotel Shilla President Lee Boo-jin and Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon, who ranked 90th and 91st. Last year, they placed 85th and 99th. Forbes noted that Lee, the eldest daughter of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee, has earned the nickname “Little Lee Kun-hee” for her strong business acumen. Choi was introduced as Naver’s second female CEO and the youngest person to assume the role aside from the company’s founder when she took office in 2022.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who ranked third, was the only Asian woman in the top 10. Forbes described her as the first woman to lead a nation with a gross domestic product of 4.2 trillion dollars and as a figure who has drawn attention for bold and often controversial remarks.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, topped the list for the fourth consecutive year. Forbes has published its list of the world’s 100 most powerful women annually since 2004, evaluating indicators such as wealth, influence and scope of activity. The combined economic power of this year’s honorees amounts to 37 trillion dollars, or roughly 5,439 trillion won.

김윤진 기자 kyj@donga.com