BTS member Jimin has once again made waves on the US Billboard 'Hot 100' chart with a Korean song.

Jimin's 'Smeraldo Garden Marching Band (feat. Loco),' released on June 28, entered the Billboard 'Hot 100' at No. 88 (as of July 13).

This marks Jimin's fifth entry into the 'Hot 100,' including his solo hit 'Like Crazy,' which made history as the first K-pop solo song to top the chart. What's remarkable is that 'Smeraldo Garden Marching Band' achieved this feat without formal promotions, driven purely by its popularity among Korean fans, showcasing Jimin's enduring influence and global appeal in the US.

'Smeraldo Garden Marching Band' also secured No. 16 on the Billboard 'Global 200,' No. 7 on the 'Global (Excl. US),' No. 3 on the 'Digital Song Sales,' and No. 1 on the 'World Digital Song Sales,' dominating various Billboard charts.

Previously, Jimin impressed on the 'Hot 100' with his solo album title track 'Like Crazy' at No. 1, 'Set Me Free Pt.2' at No. 30, a collaboration with Taeyang on 'Vibe' at No. 76, and his contribution to the 'Fast & Furious: Ride or Die' OST 'Angel Pt.1' at No. 65.

Additionally, 'Smeraldo Garden Marching Band' debuted at No. 46 on the UK's 'Official Singles Chart' and started at No. 7 on the 'Big Top 40 Chart,' quickly climbing to No. 5 this week. It continues to hold strong positions within the UK's Official Single Download and Sales charts after debuting at No. 1.

Jimin's debut solo album 'Face' remains a fixture, currently at No. 12 on the Billboard 'World Albums Chart' (as of July 13), marking its 61st week on the chart. The title track 'Like Crazy' also stands at No. 108 on the Billboard 'Global 200' and No. 60 on the 'Global (Excl. US),' charting for an impressive 66 weeks, setting a record for the longest-charting K-pop solo song.

Looking ahead, Jimin will release his second solo album 'MUSE' on July 19 at 1 PM, along with the worldwide premiere of the music video for the title track 'Who.' The album explores themes of love, with Jimin involved in lyrics, composition, and production, showcasing his artistic prowess and heightening anticipation among fans.

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A recent KBS drama shoot starring Girls' Generation's Seohyun and 2PM's Taecyeon has sparked controversy after accusations of damaging a UNESCO World Heritage site.

On January 2, architect Min Seo Hong took to Facebook to criticize the production of the upcoming drama I Took the Male Lead's First Night, which used Byeongsan Seowon, a historic Korean Confucian academy, as a filming location.

His post, titled "An Account of What I Witnessed at Byeongsan Seowon," detailed shocking allegations about the crew's actions.

Min shared that he visited Byeongsan Seowon on December 30, only to find the site bustling with drama staff.

"As I approached, I saw crew members moving around. At first, I didn’t realize it was a filming set, but when I entered the seowon, I felt uneasy knowing this historic site was being used this way," he wrote.

What he saw inside was alarming. According to Min, props were scattered throughout the seowon, and staff were hammering nails into wooden pillars to hang lights.

When he confronted them, they reportedly dismissed his concerns, saying, "We already have permission from Andong City. If you’re curious, contact them."

Determined to take action, Min contacted Andong City’s Cultural Heritage Department. A city official admitted they had approved the filming but appeared unaware of the damage being done.

"When I asked if they knew about the nails in the wooden pillars, they seemed flustered and promised to order their removal immediately," Min shared.

Experts later informed Min that incidents like this aren’t uncommon, with some modern heritage sites even being dismantled for filming. "People might think hammering nails is minor, but in traditional Korean houses, it’s a big deal to even drive in one nail. For cultural heritage, this should never happen," he said.

Min’s biggest concern is the decision to allow such a valuable site, designated as Historic Site No. 260 and a UNESCO World Heritage site, to be used for filming at all. "This was a KBS drama production, and it’s deplorable that they showed such little care for cultural heritage," he added.

The drama, I Took the Male Lead's First Night, is already drawing backlash before its release, with many netizens expressing anger over the alleged damage to the historic site. Comments online include:

"Why are cultural heritage sites being used as filming locations in the first place?"

"If this is true, KBS owes an apology not just to viewers but to the nation."

"Respect for cultural heritage should come before making a drama."

Neither KBS nor the drama's production team has released an official statement regarding the allegations.

However, the issue has sparked heated debate, with many calling for stricter regulations on the use of heritage sites for filming.

Source: [1]