K-netizen Come-uppance

In the previous post I discussed the ongoing Time Magazine Internet Poll allowing people to vote their choice for the 'most influential person of the year.'

Predictably, the Korean Netizens responded to such polls they way they always do and Rain zoomed to the top. With the poll still open, the Korean media jumped on the story to see to it that all good citizens rallied for this noble cause.  'Is Rain more famous than Bill Gates?' the good reporters ask. 'The World Recognizes Rain's Global Stardom' was the headline of this morning's 'Focus' paper (one of those free papers they give out on the subways).

Barf bag, please.

However, the story took a turn when Thailand citizens realized their own good king Bhumibal was in the running and they responded with their own Internet ballot box-stuffing campaign and soon Bhumibal was atop the poll (that's about where my updates stopped in the previous post).

The Korean netizens, refusing to be beaten at their own game, realized that the only way to kill the king's popularity and put Rain back on top was to bombard Bhumibal with low ratings. Soon his average rating plummeted from 91 to the low 80s, a feat which must have taken 10s of thousands of voters to accomplish.

However, when the Thais realized what the Korean netizens were doing they returned the favor and sent Rain down to 23rd place (below Bill Gates, by the by, and George Bush for that matter). Enraged, even more Koreans plagued Bhumibal with low ratings and now His Majesty sits at about 50th place.

And so both seem fucked at this point. There is justice sometimes in cyberspace.

We all owe the Thai people a enormous debt of gratitude  for saving us from what surely would have been another onslaught of 'Gee, ain't we grand?' reporting from the Korean media which thrives on these farces.

But mayhaps I  am being premature in thinking the K-netizens so easily defeated? If they organize even greater numbers and get EVERYONE'S ratings in the low 70's, then their man (for lack of a better of word) is back in the running!  Sounds difficult, but an entire nation's sense of self-worth is on the line here, is it not?

'Backlash' seems to be a popular word lately. I think the antics of the Korean netizens and media are starting to get well known throughout Asia and perhaps even beyond and not in the way they'd like. The Thais will probably not take kindly to their King being trashed online and realize that with Korea it's all 'Please love us but we don't give a shit about you' (which, as we all know, is something only America has the right to demand). Don't be surprised if events like this leads to an even bigger decline in the 'Korean wave' than there was last year.

Update

Never underestimate the power of the K-netizens. They've managed to get Rain back up to #11 by systematically bombarding the person in the next higher ranking with low ratings while continuing to try to push Rain's rating higher (getting a few hundred votes every minute, according to my half-assed calculations). American Idol clown Sanjaya is the latest victim, suddenly getting about a hundred votes per minute while all other candidates ranked ahead and behind are just getting a few. Scary to think of how many Netizens have given up their evenings for this matter of national honor.

Comments on original post

Hey, Koreans can't earn their self-esteem so they fake it, just like "Pi" has no talent so they run his voice through a computer and slap makeup on the girlieman and teach him a couple basic Michael Jackson moves from 25 years ago, and they have a "star."

Posted by: Ultimate Iguana | April 25, 2007 at 05:43 PM

Sanjaya vs. Rain. How ironic.

Posted by: SomeguyinKorea | April 25, 2007 at 05:44 PM

Hi Poops
Have you heard of this blog 'tagging' lark? I've just 'tagged' you - pop over to my place if you're interested.

Have a great weekend!

Leone xx

Posted by: Leone | April 27, 2007 at 07:32 AM

Wow - Rain is #3 now!

Posted by: Jenn | April 28, 2007 at 04:11 AM

The whole story is pretty sad... I've always hated this kind of polls.
But you don't have to thanks Thai people. Colbert's supporters worked with their VoteBots to decrease Rain's position and, of course, increase Colbert's. You can see it yourself in ColbertNation forum.

btw... who is that Colbert guy?

Posted by: m | April 28, 2007 at 10:38 PM

The Digital Assclown Brigade (Korean division) has pushed Rain to #1 as of 2 May. Let the cultural masturbation--oh...sorry...um..."We're Number 1" articles begin!

Posted by: Kkachi | May 02, 2007 at 02:16 AM

Rain doesn't have full eyebrows

Posted by: hardyandtiny | May 02, 2007 at 05:06 AM

Rain says he's not even included in the final list, because he was only invited as an alumnus and not as an awardee.

Anyway, it wasn't just Korea voting, it was the whole of Rain's fanbase voting a hundred thousand times a day. I'm talking large-scale here: Hong Kong, Singapore, USA, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia. It's all over the comments page; only a small percentage of those who participate in this ridiculous poll is from Korea, mostly are from all over the world. Quite pathetic, yes, but these boppers have so much time in their hands they don't know what to do with it.

Time should have never introduced the poll in the first place. Fans go crazy when they think their idols have to be number one. Rain's fans are scarier. It's amazing how they can all unite from different places to get him to the top. And although there could be cheating involved (ie rating other people 0), fans of other candidates undoubtedly did it to the others in the list at one time or another.

And by the way, Korea is not the only one saying 'Rain Number One' here. Articles of Miyamoto in the top 5 also run out and about in Japanese newspapers. Steve Jobs leading the race was also featured in a business magazine.

Posted by: Mister | May 02, 2007 at 05:24 AM

I hear that this rain guy is "bi". whatever. anyway, I hope rain gets top votes for everything. Dumb koreans.

Posted by: NorhKorean | May 04, 2007 at 05:27 AM

It's all pretty funny. Rain, the worlds #1 most influential person. Haha.. btw man, you dont need an apostrophe when you write "10s" or "Thais". It really killed your article for me. ^^

Posted by: Qinella | May 05, 2007 at 11:37 AM

The offending little monster's we're taken out. Thank's for the head's up. And rest assured, no error's in you're comment had any adverse affects on me.

Posted by: partypooper | May 06, 2007 at 04:22 AM

Hey guys, leave Ji-Hoon alone will you! I'd just like to bend him over and roger him senseless and what's wrong with that? He's got that kind of talent........

Posted by: Leone | May 06, 2007 at 05:50 AM

I love how it says his albums have "topped the charts in Japan" when they struggle even to make it into the top 20

Posted by: Angel Wings | May 06, 2007 at 08:29 AM