BTS member Jin is making waves worldwide with his debut solo album, Happy, and it's clear that the album is a global hit!

Released on November 15, Happy and its title track Running Wild have received massive love from fans and music lovers across the globe, especially in Japan.

According to the Billboard Japan Year-End charts for 2024, which cover the period from November 27, 2023, to November 24, 2024, Jin's Happy ranked 19th on the Billboard Japan - Hot Albums Year-End 2024 chart, making it the highest-ranking K-pop solo album.

Not only did Happy break records, but it also secured a top 20 spot in the annual chart, proving just how much the album resonates with listeners.

Jin claimed the #1 spot for K-pop soloists and #3 globally on the year-end chart, with only legendary Japanese artists Kenshi Yonezu and Hikaru Utada ahead of him. This is a huge accomplishment for the BTS member, who just released his solo album in November.

But that’s not all! Happy also made waves on the Billboard Japan - Top Albums Sales Year-End 2024 chart, where it ranked #20 overall and again claimed the #1 spot for K-pop soloists. Jin ranked #3 globally, right behind Yonezu and Utada, solidifying his place in the music world.

The album's success in Japan is staggering, with Happy selling 219,241 copies on its first day and 223,938 copies in its first week. This earned Jin the #3 spot on the all-time first-week sales chart for solo K-pop artists on the Oricon album chart!

Jin's Happy has continued to make history, with his pre-release track I’ll Be There and the title track Running Wild both topping Oricon charts.

His collaboration with ONE OK ROCK’s lead vocalist Taka on the track Nege Dwal Ttakjiman also topped the Oricon Daily Digital Single Chart on November 27, making Jin the second K-pop artist to hold multiple #1 positions on this chart!

Not stopping there, Running Wild achieved #1 on the Spotify Japan Daily Top Songs Chart on December 21, 2024, setting a new record for the highest streaming numbers by a K-pop artist, including both group and solo. It also ranked #6 on the global Spotify Top Songs Chart on the same day.

Jin’s Happy is taking the world by storm, and with these impressive achievements, it's clear that the BTS member is only just getting started on his solo journey!

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Actor Song Kang Ho shocked fans by revealing the surprising reason he initially turned down the iconic role in Joint Security Area (JSA).

On February 4, the movie JSA was celebrated as a "Visionary" work at a special GV (Guest Visit) event for CJ ENM’s 30th anniversary at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul. The event was attended by director Park Chan-wook and stars like Song Kang Ho, Lee Byung Hun, Lee Young Ae, Kim Tae Woo, and Ko Kyung Beom, who shared stories from the making of the film.

Joint Security Area, a groundbreaking film by director Park Chan-wook, tells the story of North and South Korean soldiers caught in a tragic incident at the border, highlighting the human side of the divided nations. The film has been widely praised for changing the perception of inter-Korean relations and is seen as a key moment in Korean cinema.

During the event, Song Kang Ho admitted that he turned down the JSA script at first, saying, "The script was just too perfect. It was so well-written and tightly woven that I couldn’t believe it. I thought, ‘Is this really Korean cinema at this level?’ I felt it was too good, and I figured the movie wouldn’t live up to the script."

He also mentioned that at the time, Park Chan-wook’s previous films hadn’t done well, which made him even more doubtful. "But after meeting the director, I started to trust him," Song Kang Ho added.

Reflecting on the film 20 years later, Song Kang Ho joked, "I was flipping through channels and watched JSA again. I thought, ‘There was a time when I wasn’t envious of Lee Byung Hun,’ but he looked so handsome and cool back then." He continued, laughing, "One thing about Park Chan-wook's films is that they have a depth and elegance that you just can’t forget. It’s probably why his new movie is called I Can’t Help It."

Song Kang Ho also spoke fondly of reuniting with his JSA co-stars after 25 years. He shared, "We didn’t watch the film together, but we had a cozy two-hour dinner. After all this time, it felt nostalgic. It was heartwarming to sit together again and reminisce about the past. It really made me realize how meaningful these moments are."

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