Dara, former member of 2NE1, recently joined Kim Jae Joong's YouTube talk show 'Jaefriends' to discuss how things used to be between SM and YG artists.

Kim Jae Joong started by explaining their connection: "We met through a movie, but YG and SM artists didn't interact much. It was a bit awkward when we crossed paths."

Dara chimed in, saying, "We couldn't really call each other friends. When we saw each other, we weren't sure if we should say hello."

Kim Jae Joong pointed out, "There was a kind of territorial rivalry between YG and SM. We were like, 'We're YG,' and 'We're SM!' There are some interesting stories from those times that we can't share on YouTube."

Dara added, "I'm close to many SM artists now, but back then, we couldn't get too close. We were always competing for the top spot. Girls' Generation was often our rival."

They also revealed some envy for each other's entertainment agencies. Kim Jae Joong said, "We admired YG's approach to music. We wanted to do music like YG did."

On the other hand, Dara shared, "We were envious of SM too. I was friends with Super Junior's Donghae, and he'd say, 'We have too many comebacks.' We'd reply, 'We wish we had that many comebacks.' Our agencies operated differently."

Dara also talked about the pressure they felt when compared to SM artists. She explained, "We won many awards at the time, but we couldn't even shed tears. People scolded us, saying, 'Why don't you cry like those SM artists?' We'd cry after leaving the stage."

Source[1]

BTS member Jimin made history at the 2024 MAMA AWARDS, becoming the first solo artist ever to win the prestigious Visa Fan’s Choice of the Year award.

On November 22, Jimin was honored with the Fan’s Choice of the Year award at the 2024 MAMA AWARDS JAPAN, held at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka, Japan. This marks a huge milestone in his career, especially considering his ongoing military service.

Jimin made history as the first solo artist to win the Fan’s Choice of the Year award, a category that BTS had dominated for six years since its debut in 2018.

In addition to this achievement, Jimin also took home the Fan’s Choice Grand Prize, making him a two-time winner at this year’s awards.

Although Jimin couldn't attend the ceremony due to his military service, his name was met with loud cheers from fans when announced.

His incredible win continues to prove his global influence as a solo artist. Jimin had also won Best Male Artist at the 2023 MAMA AWARDS, marking back-to-back wins at the event.

The MAMA AWARDS praised Jimin for his groundbreaking achievements, saying, “As the first K-pop solo artist to reach 4 billion streams and set the longest-running #1 record for a Korean artist, Jimin has proven his influence as a world-class artist and global pop star.”

Jimin's win also made him the first solo artist to claim a grand prize at the MAMA AWARDS in 10 years, with his achievement sparking excitement worldwide.

On X (formerly Twitter), the hashtag “CONGRATULATIONS JIMIN” topped the trends, while “우리지민이상받았네” (Our Jimin Got the Award) reached the #1 spot in Korea.

Jimin’s ongoing success continues to shine even during his military service. He was also recently named Best K-pop at the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards and continues to be recognized for his charitable efforts, including a recent donation of 100 million KRW to the National Defense Soldier and Veteran Love Fund.

Source: [1]