BTS’s V just reached another huge milestone with his hit song “Winter Ahead,” featuring Park Hyoshin!

The song has now surpassed an impressive 190 million streams on Spotify, further proving its popularity worldwide.

“Winter Ahead,” a beautiful collaboration between V and Park Hyoshin, first hit 150 million streams on Spotify and hasn’t slowed down since.

The song has been making waves, staying strong on global Spotify charts and even charting on the European Apple Music Daily Song Chart for a remarkable 79 days.

The song also made a huge splash on year-end charts. On December 14, “Winter Ahead” entered Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 99. It went on to debut at No. 1 on the “Holiday Digital Song Sales” chart and No. 62 on the “Holiday Top 100.”

It also entered the UK Official Singles Chart at No. 86 on December 6, topping both the “Single Downloads” and “Single Sales” charts—showing its strong global impact.

In addition, Billboard picked “Winter Ahead” as one of “The 27 Best Winter Songs for the Season,” calling it a track that “evokes the first day of the cold season” with the perfect harmony between the two artists.

Billboard also noted, “This song’s relevance will extend beyond December 25,” and it took the top spot on Billboard’s “2024 Fan Favorite Songs” list, solidifying its widespread popularity.

V has now charted three times on the Billboard “Holiday Hot 100” with his past hits, including “Christmas Tree” in 2021 and “Winter Ahead,” along with the carol “White Christmas” with Bing Crosby.

He’s the only K-pop artist to achieve this feat! All three songs have also topped the Billboard “Holiday Digital Song Sales” chart, further proving V’s massive success in the holiday music scene.

V’s winter classics are dominating the charts, and “Winter Ahead” is just another testament to his global influence!

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Director Bong Joon Ho couldn’t hold back his emotions while remembering the late Lee Sun Kyun.

On February 18, Bong Joon Ho appeared as a guest on MBC’s Son Suk Hee’s Questions and shared his thoughts on filmmaking, his reputation for being meticulous, and his deep regret over Lee Sun Kyun’s passing.

During the interview, Bong Joon Ho explained, "I never start a film thinking about social or political issues. If the storyboard isn’t finished by the morning of the shoot, I get really anxious."

He also talked about his admiration for actors, saying, "A director’s greatest luck is working with talented actors. I always stay alert while watching films, dramas, or plays, wondering if there are amazing actors quietly doing great work without getting noticed."

When asked about his ‘Bong-tail’ nickname—given to him for his extreme attention to detail—he responded, "Sometimes, I feel like it’s a label I want to escape from. Audiences analyze every little thing, looking for mistakes. While precision is important, I don’t think it alone determines a film’s value."

However, the most emotional moment came when the late Lee Sun Kyun was mentioned. Letting out a deep sigh, Bong Joon Ho said, "He was someone I worked with, and so many memories come flooding back. No matter what anyone says, he was a good person. He was a great actor." His heartfelt words left a strong impression.

Bong Joon Ho also addressed the statement he had released following Lee Sun Kyun’s passing. "As someone who worked with him, it was only right to speak up," he admitted.

However, he also expressed deep regret, saying, "I feel ashamed and sorry that I didn’t do it sooner. I kept asking myself why I didn’t act more quickly before such a tragic situation happened."

As he spoke, he became visibly emotional, shedding tears and leaving a heavy atmosphere in the studio.

Meanwhile, Bong Joon Ho’s highly anticipated film Mickey 17 is set to premiere first in South Korea on February 28.

The sci-fi thriller follows the story of an expendable worker, ‘Mickey,’ who is sent on dangerous missions and replaced with a new version when he dies. However, chaos unfolds when ‘Mickey 18’ is printed while ‘Mickey 17’ is still alive.

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