Former ASTRO member Rocky opened up about the deep bond he continues to share with his members, despite having parted ways with the team. 

On November 22, Rocky released his 1st mini album 'RockyST' and signaled his new beginning as a solo artist under his self-established label, One Fine Day Entertainment. First, he said, "The members all listened to my new album and said it was good. They always only say good things. They are like old, comfortable roommates.

We don't necessarily give one another advice about really serious stuff. We just talk about daily life." 

He also reflected on his decision to leave Fantagio and ASTRO, commenting, "At the time, launching a solo career wasn't really on my mind. I was just really tired and lost, and I didn't know what to do. Combining the time that I spent as a trainee, I've been in this industry for nearly 15 years, and that was when I was thinking to myself, 'Maybe I don't need to continue on this path'." 

Then, soon after his decision to leave his team, Rocky lost a longtime friend and teammate, the late Moonbin. 

"I think I've sent him off in my own way. To be honest, it was so painful. I think the pain was so great that I couldn't even fathom it," the musician described.  Later on, Rocky was asked what Moonbin might say after listening to his solo album.

He answered, "He's visited me in my dreams before. But I think he would just nod. We practically grew up together, and back then, we fought all the fights we needed to fight, and even if we didn't necessarily open up, time would resolve everything for us. Rather than saying anything fancy, hyung would just smile and nod."

 Rocky then pointed to his heart, and assured, "He is aways here with me."  Finally, Rocky stated, "I hope to become known as an artist who experiments and takes risks. I would be grateful if people listened to this album with that impression in mind." 

Rocky's 1st mini album 'RockyST', with its title track "Lucky Rocky", is now available for streaming. 

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BTS's Jin continues to shine bright with his massive popularity, securing the No. 1 spot in the MY1PICK weekly rankings for an impressive 43 consecutive weeks!

In the MY1PICK K-POP Individual Category Weekly Ranking for the third week of December (December 16–22), Jin earned a massive 6,154,905 hearts, keeping his position at the top. From the 5th week of February to the 3rd week of December, Jin has been unbeatable in the weekly rankings, proving he has an enormous fanbase and global influence.

But Jin’s achievements don’t stop there. In November, he dominated the K-POP Individual Category Monthly Ranking, topping it with 25,452,283 hearts. He has held the No. 1 spot for 11 months straight, from January to November, showing his continuous popularity throughout the year.

Jin also claimed victory in the One Pick Chart’s “November Monthly Chart K-POP (Solo)” category, holding the No. 1 position for 8 months in a row, from April to November. On top of that, he won the 2024 Season Chart K-POP (SOLO) for both the 2nd and 3rd quarters, making him the best One Pick star of the season.

The Season Chart awards honor artists who have consistently earned love from fans, with a physical trophy given to the top artist. Jin’s back-to-back victories solidify his place as one of the most beloved stars in K-pop.

Jin’s fan power doesn’t end with rankings. He’s also triumphed in numerous themed votes, taking first place in categories like “Star You Want to Collect All Photo Cards Of,” “Star You Want to See First Pitch at a Baseball Game,” “Best Cooking Genius Idol,” “Star Who Would Be the Best Child,” and “Star You Would Fall in Love With at First Sight.” His reward advertisement for the “Star You Want to Collect All Photo Cards Of” vote began airing on December 26 and can be seen at Yeoksam Station until December 30.

Meanwhile, Jin’s first solo album Happy was released on November 15 and quickly became a global hit, showcasing his talents as a solo artist. He held a special showcase, Jin ‘Happy’ Special Stage, on November 16 and 17, where fans were captivated by his beautiful vocals and flawless live performance.

Jin has also been keeping busy with appearances on popular variety shows like Salon Drip 2, Neighborhood Star K4, and Limousine Service. He’s also appeared on famous American talk shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and Japan’s top music program Venue 101, where he impressed fans with his humor and solid live performances. His reputation as the “Vocal King” and “Live King” is stronger than ever!

As if that wasn't enough, Jin is also gaining attention globally for singing the main theme song for the new tvN drama Ask the Stars. Jin's talents continue to wow the world, and it's clear he's not slowing down anytime soon!

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