• SEVENTEEN's Seungkwan Named Jeju Ambassador, Advocates for Dolphin Protection

    SEVENTEEN's Seungkwan has been appointed as the honorary ambassador for his hometown, Jeju.

    On the afternoon of November 19, Seungkwan attended the appointment ceremony at the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Communication and Cooperation Center in Jeju City.

    This marks the start of his role as an ambassador. The ceremony held extra significance as it recognized Seungkwan’s contributions to promoting Jeju globally, especially since he is a local from the island.

    At the event, Seungkwan shared, “Since my childhood, I’ve always felt proud to be from Jeju. So when I had the chance to speak at the ‘UNESCO Youth Forum’ last year, I really wanted to introduce Jeju, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, to the world. Being appointed as Jeju’s ambassador today feels so meaningful, and I am truly thankful.”

    He continued, “I’ve always wanted to give good energy and hope to the people of Jeju. I’ll keep working hard to spread the word about both Jeju and SEVENTEEN to the world, so please keep an eye on me.”

    Jeju Governor Oh Young Hoon expressed his joy, saying, “I’m glad to see a world-renowned artist from Jeju take on the role of our hometown’s ambassador. We hope that Seungkwan will act as a cultural diplomat, sharing Jeju’s clean nature, cultural heritage, and the island’s value as a symbol of world peace with the world.”

    Following the appointment, Seungkwan also participated in the Jeju Love Donation campaign, contributing to the protection of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin.

    He said, “I’ve been thinking for a long time about how I can help Jeju, and I’m happy that I can express my love for my hometown through this opportunity.”

    In September, PLEDIS Entertainment and the Jeju Provincial Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote K-pop content related to Jeju.

    Both parties have agreed to collaborate to boost the island’s cultural and tourism industries and create K-pop content in Jeju, aiming to enhance the brand value of both Jeju and PLEDIS.

    Source: [1]

  • BTS Jin's 'Running Wild' Soars to No. 1 on Spotify Japan, Hits Global Top 10

    BTS member Jin is taking the world by storm with his hit song Running Wild.

    Released on November 15, Running Wild is the title track from Jin's first solo album, Happy. The song blends a fresh new wave sound with British rock influences and pop rock elements, catching the attention of fans worldwide.

    On November 21, Running Wild reached the top spot on Spotify Japan's Daily Top Songs chart, showing its massive popularity.

    It also ranked No. 2 on the Spotify Top Songs chart in Korea and No. 6 globally, proving its broad appeal.

    Jin’s solo album Happy has also been a huge success. It sold over 219,000 copies on its first day, making it the third-highest album sales for a K-pop solo artist in Oricon Weekly Album Chart history.

    In just three days, Happy reached No. 1 on the Hanteo Country-by-Country Chart in Japan for the third week of November, solidifying Jin's status as a top global artist.

    Source: [1]