YG Entertainment’s new girl group, BabyMonster, is hitting big milestones with their first full album.

As of November 8, just one week after its release, BabyMonster's DRIP has already surpassed 820,000 pre-orders, nearly double the sales of their debut album BABYMONS7ER from April. This impressive growth signals that DRIP could soon become a million-seller.

The success is largely due to the high anticipation for the album, boosted by BabyMonster's growing global fanbase from their first fan meeting tour. With the group just beginning their full album promotions, the final sales numbers are expected to rise even more.

BabyMonster's first-week sales have also been outstanding. According to Hanteo Chart, DRIP sold 677,961 copies from November 1 to November 7, nearly 1.7 times more than their mini-album's first-week sales of 401,287 copies.

The group is actively promoting DRIP through appearances on SBS’s Inkigayo, variety shows like Running Man, radio programs, and YouTube. They are also preparing for their first world tour in 2025.

Since its release on November 1, DRIP has been dominating global charts. It topped iTunes album charts in 14 countries and reached No. 1 on Japan's largest streaming platform, LINE Music’s Top 100 real-time album chart.

On YouTube, BabyMonster's DRIP music video quickly became the No. 1 most-viewed video in 24 hours, while their pre-released video for CLIK CLAK remained in the Global YouTube Daily Top 10 for four straight days. Both videos have now surpassed 60 million and 50 million views, respectively.

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Lee Kyung Gyu's star-making influence goes beyond Kang Ho Dong, as Hong Jin Kyung shares how he helped her kickstart her career.

On the April 24 episode of KBS 2TV’s Problem Child in House, legendary comedian Lee Kyung Gyu appeared as a guest—and a touching story from the past was revealed.

Hong Jin Kyung surprised everyone when she said, “He’s the teacher for all of us. Personally, he’s the one who helped me debut.” She even pinned a carnation flower on his chest to show her gratitude.

Lee Kyung Gyu smiled and said, “I still remember when Hong Jin Kyung walked up the stairs onto the stage for the first time.”

Hong Jin Kyung then shared her journey to becoming a star. “I joined a supermodel contest, but only the top 3 winners were noticed in broadcasting. I got a special prize, so I had no chance to be on TV."

She continued, "At first, I was just a backup for a show. But somehow, I became a regular the next week. I never knew why."

She added, "I thought the PD gave me a shot. But then one day, I randomly met Kyung Gyu sunbae, and he told me it was actually him who recommended me.”

Kim Sook asked with a smile, “So Kyung Gyu sunbae said nice things about you to the PD?”

Lee Kyung Gyu playfully replied, “Don’t say it in such a childish way,” making everyone laugh.

He then explained more seriously, “The show was Scoop TV Entertainment, and I was pretty much the main MC. When Jin Kyung showed up, I saw her determination and passion."

He added, "While others didn’t seem serious, she really stood out. I told the PD, ‘She seems unique. Why not keep her on the show?’”

Kim Jong Kook chimed in, “So if the main MC said that, doesn’t that mean you basically got her in?”

That made Lee Kyung Gyu happy. He grinned and replied, “Exactly! You speak well. Be like him!”

He added, “After that, Jin Kyung’s career took off. She started doing shows with Lee Young Ja and just kept going.”

Fans are now calling Lee Kyung Gyu not only a top MC, but also a quiet star-maker behind the scenes!

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