BTS member Jimin's pre-release track from his second solo album has dominated music charts worldwide, signaling the start of a global hit.

According to Japan's Oricon chart dated June 28, Jimin's new album "MUSE" pre-release track "Smeraldo Garden Marching Band (feat. Loco)" entered the 'Daily Digital Single Ranking' at No. 1 with 3,861 downloads.

On its first day of release, "Smeraldo Garden Marching Band (feat. Loco)" was streamed 6,625,387 times on the world's largest music streaming platform, Spotify, ranking fourth on the 'Daily Top Songs Global' chart for June 28.

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The song also reached the 'Top 10' in the 'Daily Top Songs' chart in 13 countries/regions, including South Korea (No. 2), Vietnam (No. 1), and Honduras (No. 1).

Previously, "Smeraldo Garden Marching Band (feat. Loco)" topped the iTunes 'Top Songs' chart in 108 countries/regions as of 7 AM on the 29th.

"Smeraldo Garden Marching Band (feat. Loco)" is characterized by its lively bounce, rhythm, and dynamic atmosphere, based on a marching band playing while marching. Rapper Loco's feature adds a unique synergy with Jimin.

Due to the song's popularity, fans' anticipation for Jimin's new album "MUSE," set to be released on July 19, has reached its peak. Jimin's second solo album "MUSE" will contain a total of seven tracks, including the pre-release song.

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Seo Ye Ji is facing major backlash after her surprising appearance on SNL Korea 7.

On April 12, Seo Ye Ji made her long-awaited return to variety shows by guest-starring on Coupang Play's SNL Korea Season 7.

Before the show started, she made jaws drop by joking, "I'll gaslight the SNL crew and make it fun," referencing her own past controversies.

During the "Seo Ye GPT" segment, Seo Ye Ji played an AI that helped Kim Won Hoon nail a company presentation. She then made a sharp comment, saying, "The truly embarrassing thing is sitting quietly and being talked about behind your back. I've experienced that a lot," hinting at the criticism she’s faced.

In the "Eve Hair Salon" skit, Seo Ye Ji acted as a salon director and joked about her past "Kim Ddak Ddak" scandal, where she was accused of controlling her then-boyfriend Kim Jung Hyun. When a character mentioned her stiff neck, she responded, "It's firm," making everyone laugh but also stirring mixed feelings.

Fans were shocked to see Seo Ye Ji using her past scandals as comedy material, especially since it’s been eight years since her last variety show appearance. Many pointed out that joking about serious accusations like gaslighting and academic fraud might have gone too far.

The controversy over Seo Ye Ji’s education also came back into the spotlight. She had previously claimed she studied abroad in Spain, but in 2021 it was revealed she never actually attended the university she mentioned.

Her agency explained she was accepted but didn’t attend because of her career in Korea, but many netizens weren’t convinced.

On SNL Korea, Seo Ye Ji even played a character who lied about her past to impress a boyfriend, making fans think of her real-life academic background scandal.

After the episode aired, reactions online exploded. Some comments included, "Falsifying academic background is a crime," "This was too much," "It was funny though," "Let’s forgive it since it’s black comedy," and "Why was Seo Ye Ji the first guest?"

Seo Ye Ji’s bold jokes have definitely split public opinion, with some calling it brave and others saying it only reopened old wounds.

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