TWICE's Nayeon has reached an impressive milestone by securing the 7th spot on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States.

According to Billboard's official report on the 23rd (local time), Nayeon's second mini album '나(NA),' released on the 14th, debuted at 7th place on the prestigious Billboard 200 chart.

This achievement marks her second time entering the top 10 of this chart, following her initial success in July 2022 with her first mini album '아이엠 나연(IM NAYEON).' She now holds the record for the highest ranking by a female K-pop solo artist.

Nayeon's latest album sold 43,000 units in physical sales and garnered 4,000 streaming units, totaling 47,000 units (as per Luminéate calculations).

This made it the best-selling album in the United States for the week, also topping the Top Album Sales chart.

Earlier this year in February, Nayeon, as part of TWICE reached 1st place on the Billboard 200 with the mini album '위드 유-스(With YOU-th).' Her solo achievement now reaffirms her popularity and further solidifies her place in K-pop history.

The title track 'ABCD' also performed exceptionally well on Spotify's global streaming platform. From June 14th to 16th, it ranked in the top 10 on the Top Album Debut Global Chart, Top Album Debut USA Chart, and Top Album Debut UK Chart. 'ABCD' even entered the Top Song Debut Global Chart at an impressive 5th place.

Nayeon actively promoted her comeback through domestic music shows, various entertainment programs, and her YouTube channel.

She not only showcased her diverse stage presence but also her sense of humor, proving herself to be a true star. Her efforts were rewarded with 1st place wins on MBC M's 'Show! Champion' on the 19th and KBS 2TV's 'Music Bank' on the 21st.

Source [1]

Lee Jun Young recently opened up about the emotional toll of playing a villain—and how one powerful scene made him break down in tears behind the scenes.

On the May 1st episode of KBS 2TV’s variety show Problem Child in House, Lee Jun Young appeared alongside co-star Jung Eun Ji to promote their new KBS drama Pump Up the Healthy Love.

During the show, Lee Jun Young was asked about the most unforgettable villain he’s played. He chose his role as Han Su Gang in the film Brave Citizen.

He explained, “It was really tough to film. I had to act like I was leading school violence, and there was even a scene where I bullied a grandmother.”

The hosts were surprised, pointing out how kind and gentle he seems in real life. Lee Jun Young shared how he transforms for such roles.

“I try to act as bad as I can, but sometimes the director says, ‘You still look too nice.’ Then I focus even harder and adjust right away.”

He also revealed that filming one particular scene hit him hard emotionally. “My real grandmother was sick at the time,” he said.

“In one scene, there’s a grandma selling gimbap, and I ad-libbed by stubbing a cigarette out on the gimbap. I was really into character, but after filming, I just broke down. So many thoughts came to me and I started crying.”

Fans praised his dedication to acting but also felt moved by how deeply the role affected him. Lee Jun Young’s honesty gave a raw look at how even fictional roles can hit close to home.

Source: [1]