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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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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