Taeyang, one part of Korean pop band Big Band, was appointed honorary ambassador for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

The K-pop star is a social media sensation, having amassed 15.5 million followers across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

The edgy pop star's first venture into solo music making saw him rack up more than 93 million YouTube views for a video which mainly consists of him shirtless.

The 29-year-old -- along with other Big Bang members G-Dragon, T.O.P, Daesung and Seungri -- were the first Korean act to place Forbes' celebrity 100 list.

"Thanks to arena shows in Asia and beyond, One Direction and the Backstreet Boys are the only boybands who've earned more in a single year," Forbes said of the group.

Officially, Big Bang is one of the most popular bands in the world. The group have surpassed 150 million records sold worldwide.

The quintet has won numerous Song of the Year awards as well as being crowned Artist of the Year in 2008.

They have also gained acclaim outside of Asia, winning Best Worldwide Act at the 2011 MTV EMA's.

Individually, Taeyang -- born Dong Young-bae -- made his solo debut in 2008 and was met with widespread acclaim, going on to win the Best R&B & Soul Album at the Korean Music Awards.

Taeyang -- meaning 'Sun' in Korean, or SOL when he performs in Japan -- made it to 112 on the US Billboard 200 Chart to record the highest ranked album by a Korean solo artist.

He is also aptly named the Korean "Prince of R&B."