• "OST King" BTS V's 'Christmas Tree' Hits 400 Million Streams on Spotify

    BTS's V is shining bright again with his hit 'Christmas Tree' surpassing 400 million streams on Spotify. As of June 18, 'Christmas Tree' reached this milestone, making it the most-streamed K-OST on the platform.

    Following closely behind 'Christmas Tree' is V's other self-composed song, 'Sweet Night,' which also boasts high stream numbers.

    V is truly dominating the OST scene, holding the top two spots for the most-streamed K-OSTs on Spotify.

    Released on December 24, 2021, 'Christmas Tree' is the soundtrack for the drama 'Our Beloved Summer.' V's emotional vocals add a special touch to the drama, enhancing its depth and feeling.

    Remarkably, 'Christmas Tree' is the first K-OST to make it onto the Billboard Hot 100, achieving this without a physical album even during a season dominated by classic Christmas songs.

    When it was released, 'Christmas Tree' became the first Korean solo song to top the Billboard U.S. Digital Song Sales chart. It also made history by being the first Korean song to lead the Billboard Holiday Digital Song Sales chart and debuted at number 55 on the Holiday Hot 100 chart.

    Elite Daily, an American publication, named 'Christmas Tree' as one of 24 new Christmas classics released after the 2000s. Additionally, British media outlet Edinburgh Live ranked 'Christmas Tree' first on its 'Most Popular Christmas Songs on Spotify' list, surpassing Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You.'

    V's work on OSTs has significantly boosted the global popularity of dramas. The success of 'Christmas Tree' has renewed interest in 'Our Beloved Summer,' pushing it to ninth place worldwide on Netflix. This shows the powerful synergy between K-pop and K-dramas.

    Japanese media have also highlighted how V's OST for 'Itaewon Class' helped the drama gain worldwide fame, contributing to its Japanese remake's success and attracting K-pop fans globally.

    Source[1]

  • NewJeans Minji writes touching letter on her birthday during activity halt: “We didn’t stop and we won’t stop”

    NewJeans' Minji touched fans' hearts with a handwritten letter on her birthday — even while the group is currently unable to promote due to legal issues.

    On May 7, Minji celebrated her birthday by sharing a heartfelt message on the group’s personal SNS account, which the members opened themselves to stay connected with fans.

    Minji began her letter with honesty, writing, “I think I’m living a busier life than I expected. When I finally looked up, it was already May, and it was my birthday.”

    She admitted that she had a lot she wanted to say, but her thoughts felt “messy.” Still, her message to fans was clear, “I just hope that I, our members, and Bunnies can all be happy. Happiness is the biggest goal in my life.”

    Minji then opened up about her personal journey and struggles, saying, “I sometimes think that running toward my happiness by doing what I love might look foolish to others. But isn’t giving up your happiness now for the sake of a future that might not even come… too harsh on yourself?”

    Despite everything, she ended on a hopeful note, “I really miss the times when we shared our feelings through the good music we made together. But I always look forward to what’s ahead."

    She added, "We didn’t stop here, and we’re not going to stop! It might look like we’re standing still, but I believe we’re growing deeper.”

    Her message comes during a difficult time for NewJeans. The group announced last year that they were cutting ties with ADOR, their original agency, after trust was broken. They later began working independently under the new name ‘NJZ’.

    However, ADOR responded with legal action — claiming the exclusive contract with NewJeans was still valid and asking the court to stop the group from promoting or signing deals.

    The court sided with ADOR and granted an injunction, forcing NewJeans to pause their activities. Their appeal was rejected, and they’ve now filed a second appeal.

    Through it all, Minji’s message proves one thing — even when forced to stop, NewJeans' hearts are still moving forward.

    Source: [1]