TWICE's Nayeon has reached an impressive milestone by securing the 7th spot on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States.

According to Billboard's official report on the 23rd (local time), Nayeon's second mini album '나(NA),' released on the 14th, debuted at 7th place on the prestigious Billboard 200 chart.

This achievement marks her second time entering the top 10 of this chart, following her initial success in July 2022 with her first mini album '아이엠 나연(IM NAYEON).' She now holds the record for the highest ranking by a female K-pop solo artist.

Nayeon's latest album sold 43,000 units in physical sales and garnered 4,000 streaming units, totaling 47,000 units (as per Luminéate calculations).

This made it the best-selling album in the United States for the week, also topping the Top Album Sales chart.

Earlier this year in February, Nayeon, as part of TWICE reached 1st place on the Billboard 200 with the mini album '위드 유-스(With YOU-th).' Her solo achievement now reaffirms her popularity and further solidifies her place in K-pop history.

The title track 'ABCD' also performed exceptionally well on Spotify's global streaming platform. From June 14th to 16th, it ranked in the top 10 on the Top Album Debut Global Chart, Top Album Debut USA Chart, and Top Album Debut UK Chart. 'ABCD' even entered the Top Song Debut Global Chart at an impressive 5th place.

Nayeon actively promoted her comeback through domestic music shows, various entertainment programs, and her YouTube channel.

She not only showcased her diverse stage presence but also her sense of humor, proving herself to be a true star. Her efforts were rewarded with 1st place wins on MBC M's 'Show! Champion' on the 19th and KBS 2TV's 'Music Bank' on the 21st.

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Actor Song Kang Ho shocked fans by revealing the surprising reason he initially turned down the iconic role in Joint Security Area (JSA).

On February 4, the movie JSA was celebrated as a "Visionary" work at a special GV (Guest Visit) event for CJ ENM’s 30th anniversary at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul. The event was attended by director Park Chan-wook and stars like Song Kang Ho, Lee Byung Hun, Lee Young Ae, Kim Tae Woo, and Ko Kyung Beom, who shared stories from the making of the film.

Joint Security Area, a groundbreaking film by director Park Chan-wook, tells the story of North and South Korean soldiers caught in a tragic incident at the border, highlighting the human side of the divided nations. The film has been widely praised for changing the perception of inter-Korean relations and is seen as a key moment in Korean cinema.

During the event, Song Kang Ho admitted that he turned down the JSA script at first, saying, "The script was just too perfect. It was so well-written and tightly woven that I couldn’t believe it. I thought, ‘Is this really Korean cinema at this level?’ I felt it was too good, and I figured the movie wouldn’t live up to the script."

He also mentioned that at the time, Park Chan-wook’s previous films hadn’t done well, which made him even more doubtful. "But after meeting the director, I started to trust him," Song Kang Ho added.

Reflecting on the film 20 years later, Song Kang Ho joked, "I was flipping through channels and watched JSA again. I thought, ‘There was a time when I wasn’t envious of Lee Byung Hun,’ but he looked so handsome and cool back then." He continued, laughing, "One thing about Park Chan-wook's films is that they have a depth and elegance that you just can’t forget. It’s probably why his new movie is called I Can’t Help It."

Song Kang Ho also spoke fondly of reuniting with his JSA co-stars after 25 years. He shared, "We didn’t watch the film together, but we had a cozy two-hour dinner. After all this time, it felt nostalgic. It was heartwarming to sit together again and reminisce about the past. It really made me realize how meaningful these moments are."

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