Song Joong Ki's Cheek-Heart Pose Sparks Old Controversy at 60th Baeksang Awards

The 60th Baeksang Awards, a star-studded affair celebrating South Korea's entertainment industry, took place on May 7, KST, with celebrities turning heads on the red carpet.

Among them was actor Song Joong Ki, who caught attention in a sleek black-and-white tuxedo suit.

As Song Joong Ki greeted cameras with his seasoned charm, one particular gesture reignited an old controversy surrounding the actor.

In some photos from the red carpet, Song Joong Ki was seen striking the cheek-heart pose, a classic pose favored by celebrities.

This gesture stirred memories of a controversy that emerged a few months ago when Song Joong Ki attended a premiere event for his drama, "Reborn Rich."

At the event, the actor had declined requests to perform the heart pose, sparking criticism from some quarters.

In response, Song Joong Ki explained that he felt traditional poses were cliché and wanted to avoid them to inject freshness into his interactions with the media.

However, he acknowledged that his refusal may have been misconstrued and reflected poorly on him.

Reflecting on the previous incident, Song Joong Ki clarified his stance, stating that his reluctance to perform the heart pose was not due to a change in attitude but rather a desire to avoid clichés.

However, some netizens couldn't help but wonder if the actor's decision to perform the heart pose at the Baeksang Awards was influenced by the backlash he faced previously.

The resurfacing of this controversy has sparked discussion among fans, with opinions divided on whether Song Joong Ki's actions reflect a change in attitude or a response to past criticism.

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BTS’s V is proving once again why he’s a global music powerhouse! His song “Winter Ahead (with Park Hyo Shin)” has officially surpassed 210 million streams on Spotify, showing its long-lasting popularity.

On February 26, Winter Ahead crossed the 210 million stream mark on the world’s biggest music platform, Spotify. Since its release, the song has been charting for 91 consecutive days on both the Global Spotify Chart and Europe’s Apple Music Daily Song Chart, proving its strong presence.

Originally released on November 29, 2023, Winter Ahead made a huge impact on year-end charts for 2024. It debuted at No. 99 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, topped Billboard’s Holiday Digital Song Sales chart at No.1, and ranked No. 62 on Billboard’s Holiday Top 100.

Over in the UK, the song entered the Official Singles Chart at No. 86, while securing No.1 on the Official Singles Downloads Chart and No.2 on the Singles Sales Chart, proving its incredible digital sales power.

The music video for Winter Ahead also became a hot topic! V transformed into a sculptor, delivering a deep and emotional performance with his expressive acting, pulling fans into the song’s atmosphere.

Despite being 6 minutes and 22 seconds long, the video went viral, ranking No.1 on the "Music Video Trending Worldwide" chart.

On TIDAL, a global high-quality streaming platform, Winter Ahead made history as the longest-running K-pop song at No.1 on the Global Top Video chart.

It also topped Top Video charts in several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, Spain, Australia, and Singapore.

Even Billboard couldn’t resist the charm of Winter Ahead! The song was featured in "The 27 Best Winter Songs for the Season," with Billboard praising it as "evoking the feeling of the first day of winter, with harmonies as fresh as a snowflake."

They also noted that "its impact will last far beyond December 25."

Additionally, Winter Ahead was voted No.1 on Billboard’s ‘2024 Fan-Favorite Songs’ list, proving that fans can’t get enough of V’s music.

With this, V has now charted three songs on Billboard’s Holiday Hot 100, following Christmas Tree (2021) and his cover of White Christmas. He is officially the only K-pop artist to achieve this!

Even more impressively, he holds the record as the only K-pop artist to have three songs reach No.1 on Billboard’s Holiday Digital Song Sales chart, solidifying his dominance in the holiday music scene.

With Winter Ahead continuing to shine worldwide, V once again proves why he’s the ultimate ‘Winter King’ of K-pop.

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