BTS member V's solo album Layover has made a huge impact by topping the iTunes album charts in 109 countries.

On September 9, Layover reached No. 1 on France’s iTunes album chart, marking its first anniversary with a new record. The album topped the iTunes Top Album Charts in 109 countries worldwide.

To celebrate its first year, Layover also climbed back to No. 1 on the iTunes charts in the UK, Germany, Australia, and Japan.

This achievement solidifies V's success as a solo artist, as he is now one of only five Asian solo artists to reach No. 1 on iTunes Album Charts in over 100 countries.

When Layover was first released, it debuted at No. 1 on the Worldwide iTunes Album Chart. V also became the first Asian solo artist in the U.S. to have all the tracks from his album sell over 100,000 units.

V’s success didn’t stop there. He became the only K-pop soloist to debut in the Top 3 on the U.S. Billboard Album Sales Chart and remained on the chart for three straight weeks.

He also charted all his album tracks on both the Billboard Global 200 and the Global 200 Excl. U.S. charts.

Layover also made it into the Top 10 of the 2023 IFPI Global Album Sales Chart despite being released just four months before the year ended.

In Japan, Layover became the best-selling Korean album by a K-pop solo artist in Oricon's history. The album topped the charts in the U.S., Japan, China, and Hanteo Chart, making V the first solo artist to achieve this.

Portuguese media outlet FNAC even recommended Layover as one of the "Top 10 Albums You Must Know." They praised the album, saying, "Layover mixes jazz, soul, and pop, with R&B elements. The lyrics talk about love, sorrow, and intimacy."

A year after its release, Layover continues to receive love, ranking in the top 200 of Apple Music’s album charts in 30 countries. The Layover LP has been a bestseller both in Korea and internationally, with pre-orders repeatedly selling out.

V's solo career is off to an incredible start, and Layover is proving to be a lasting success.

Source(1)

Hyun Bin is finally addressing the long-standing "ddongcha" (poop car) theory surrounding his character from My Name is Kim Sam-soon—and he's not holding back!

In an interview on the 19th with Star News, the beloved actor confessed, "I was wrong," responding to the reevaluation of his iconic role as Hyun Jin-heon from the 2005 hit drama. The "ddongcha" theory has been a subject of online debate for years, with many viewers critiquing Hyun Jin-heon’s character as overly arrogant and entitled.

Hyun Bin, who first rose to fame in My Name is Kim Sam-soon, took the time to reflect on the character that made him a household name. He shared, “I was just following the script; there were no personal opinions added to the character of Hyun Jin-heon. At that time, I knew Hyun Jin-heon was portrayed as a ‘bad boy,’ and the way it was expressed was different from today’s standards.”

With My Name is Kim Sam-soon now being re-released as part of Wavve's "New Classic" project, fans are revisiting the 2005 drama, and the character of Hyun Jin-heon is under fresh scrutiny. Director Kim Yun-cheol even admitted that the "prince on a white horse" and "bad boy" tropes that once worked in 2005 don’t quite match today's sensibilities, leading to edits in the 2024 version.

Hyun Bin humbly acknowledged his gratitude for his successful career and hit works, saying, "It’s wonderful and I am grateful to have so many hit works. I’ve been fortunate to work with amazing writers, directors, and actors. Thanks to them, I’ve received a lot of attention and love." He also shared a sense of humility, noting, “But I never know when that luck will come again."

Despite the dramatic shift in perspective on his character, Hyun Bin’s charm and dedication remain strong. Fans are eager to see him in his upcoming film Harbin (directed by Woo Min-ho), set to be released on the 24th.

Source (1)