Even while serving in the military, BTS’s V continues to dominate Instagram, proving his unstoppable global influence.

According to influencer analytics platform HypeAuditor, V ranked 5th in the "Top 1000 Most Influential Influencers Worldwide", making him the highest-ranked Asian star on the list.

The top 10 most influential global stars included:
Cristiano Ronaldo (1st)
Lionel Messi (2nd)
Selena Gomez (3rd)
Kendall Jenner (4th)

BTS’s V (5th)
Kylie Jenner (6th)
Billie Eilish (7th)
Justin Bieber (8th)
Kylian Mbappé (9th)
Beyoncé (10th)

Not only that, but V also ranked 5th in the U.S. and 1st in the U.K., proving that his global appeal goes beyond just K-pop! He also placed 5th in Brazil and 2nd in Indonesia, showing just how much he’s loved all over the world.

V’s INSANE Instagram Stats

66.89 million followers as of February 26
?? 12.17 million followers from the U.S. (18.2%)—his largest fanbase!
16.36% engagement rate (ER)—the highest among global celebrities!
SocialBook reports an even higher 20.2% ER in the past 60 days!
Cristiano Ronaldo’s ER is only 1%—20 TIMES LOWER than V’s!
126 posts, averaging 12.4 million likes per post
Total of 1.6 billion likes across all posts!

On February 23, V surprised fans with a post saying, “Sergeant Kim checking in! D-107”, referring to his remaining military service days. The response was massive!

200,000 new followers instantly!
10 million likes in just 11 hours and 28 minutes!
13.84 million likes and 1.61 million shares so far!

Even with limited social media activity, V’s star power is unmatched! His engagement and influence prove that he’s not just an Instagram king—he’s a GLOBAL ICON.

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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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