BTS’s V is proving his unstoppable power once again! His song Winter Ahead (with Park Hyo Shin) has officially surpassed 200 million streams on Spotify, continuing to dominate charts worldwide.

On February 21, Winter Ahead reached a major milestone, crossing 200 million streams on the world’s biggest music platform. This makes it V’s eighth solo song to surpass 200 million streams on Spotify! The track has also remained on the global Spotify and European Apple Music Daily Song Charts for an impressive 84 consecutive days.

V’s winter ballad didn’t just dominate streaming platforms—it also made waves on Billboard! Winter Ahead debuted at No. 99 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped Billboard’s Holiday Digital Song Sales chart. It even landed at No. 62 on the Holiday Top 100. Over in the UK, the song entered the Official Singles Chart at No. 86 and took over the Singles Download and Singles Sales charts at No. 1 and No. 2, proving its global appeal.

On TIDAL’s Global Top Video chart, Winter Ahead has set a record for the longest-running No. 1 K-pop song! It’s currently topping the charts in multiple countries, including Brazil, Spain, Australia, and Singapore. In the U.S., it reached No. 4 on TIDAL’s Top Video chart—the highest ranking for any K-pop song.

Billboard also included Winter Ahead in its list of 27 Best Winter Songs for the Season, calling it a song that “evokes the feeling of the first cold day of the season.” The publication praised V and Park Hyo Shin’s harmonization, saying, “Their voices blend together like fresh snow.” Winter Ahead even ranked No. 1 on Billboard’s 2024 Fan-Favorite Songs, proving its massive popularity among fans.

With this achievement, V has made history once again! Following his 2021 hit Christmas Tree and his rendition of White Christmas, Winter Ahead has now entered Billboard’s Holiday Hot 100, making him the only K-pop artist with three songs on the chart.

He also became the only K-pop artist to have three songs reach No. 1 on Billboard’s Holiday Digital Song Sales chart, cementing his record-breaking success.

V’s winter magic is still going strong.

Source (1)

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!

Source: [1]