Actor Lee Dong-wook is GQ Man Of The Year for third consecutive year

South Korean actor-host Lee Dong-wook was named one of GQ Korea's Men of the Year for the third year running. Lee Dong-wook/Instagram

For the third year running, South Korean actor-host Lee Dong-wook has been named one of GQ Korea's Men Of The Year.

The men's fashion magazine also gave the title to three other male stars - Rain, Henry and Crush - as well as Woman Of The Year to K-pop idol IU.

All five will be on the cover of its December issue.

GQ, which has editions in various countries such as the United States, Britain and Germany, comes up with an annual list of influential stars who have made the news that year.

Lee, 39, took on a breakthrough role this year in the drama Tale Of The Nine-Tailed, which began airing last month.

In the fantasy romance, the suave male lead played a gumiho, or nine-tailed fox, who used to be a mountain god, but abdicated to become a civil servant to search for his true love.

Rain, 39, has been on the scene since 2003 and has achieved popularity internationally, including in China and the US. Not only is he a singer, writer and producer, he also acts.

The magazine described him as someone who has an undeniable presence in the fields of variety shows and music.

Another multi-talented star, Henry Lau, 31, usually known as just Henry, was recognised for his inspiring performances on the Begin Again Korea series.

In the popular television show, cast members travel around the country and perform as buskers, presenting music to uplift spirits during the global pandemic.

As for 28-year-old Crush, the R&B and hip-hop idol made waves with his fourth EP, With Her, which was released last month and features female artistes on all tracks.

Earlier this month, he enlisted for his mandatory military service.

The sole woman to make the list this year, the K-pop idol known as IU, 27, was picked for her artistry and sincere approach to music during her 12 years as a singer.

Since her debut at the age of 15, she has risen to become one of the best-selling solo acts in the group-dominated K-pop industry. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network