BTS's V's song 'Friends' has been named MVP in Tokyo FM's Q2 popularity poll, showing his worldwide popularity.

Tokyo FM announced that 'Friends' was the MVP in the 'K-Star Chart' poll for April to June. 'Friends,' released on March 15th, topped the 'K-Star Chart Top 10 Weekly' poll for 15 straight weeks.

V also won the MVP title from January to March with his song 'Wherever U R,' making it two songs in a row to top the chart's popularity poll.

On March 15th, 'Friends' got 4,728,233 streams on Spotify, debuting at number 7 on the 'Daily Top Songs Global' chart. After releasing 'Friends,' V ranked 4th on the 'Global Digital Artist Ranking' chart.

'Friends' had the most streams among K-pop solo songs in the first half of 2024, with over 266.97 million streams. It set a record for the highest-streamed K-pop solo song released in 2024. 'Friends' also became the first 2024 song to hit number 1 on the iTunes chart in 100 countries, reaching number 1 in 102 countries.

'Friends' debuted at number 65 on the Billboard 'Hot 100' chart and number 13 on the 'UK Official Chart' singles chart, the highest for a K-pop song released in 2024, staying there for two weeks.

The music video also made a big impact, reaching number 1 on YouTube's 'Global Top Music Videos Chart,' the UK iTunes Music Videos chart, and Japan Apple Music Top Music Videos chart.

On Tidal's music video chart, 'Friends' became the first K-pop artist video to rank number 1 on the US 'Tidal Top Videos' chart. It also hit number 1 on the UK 'Tidal Top Videos Chart' with 'Love Me Again,' marking V's second time at the top.

British music magazine NME praised 'Friends,' saying, "'Friends' shows off V's amazing vocals and range. From a deep baritone to high notes, he handles it all smoothly and confidently. V's ability to sing such a wide range so effortlessly is impressive."

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Former AOA member Kwon Mina has shared a deeply emotional and heartbreaking update with her fans.

On January 20, Kwon Mina took to Instagram to reveal some difficult news. "I have some upsetting and heartbreaking news to share", she wrote, explaining that her dog, Mochi, had been diagnosed with malignant cancer.

She shared that a lump had been growing on her dog’s leg for years, and despite undergoing several surgeries, it kept coming back. Sadly, the latest diagnosis confirmed it was cancerous.

Kwon Mina’s post continued, "The pain is expected to get worse, and the doctor told me to prepare myself to say goodbye to Mochi, as she will suffer a lot."

She added, "Today, I can’t stop crying, and my heart feels like it’s breaking. I’m looking into options like anesthesia, euthanasia, and funeral arrangements so that she can pass without pain."

She reached out to her followers for advice, asking, "If anyone knows a better solution, please let me know."

Kwon Mina debuted in 2012 as a member of the popular girl group AOA. The group achieved great success with hits like "Heart Attack," "Bingle Bangle," "Like a Cat," and "Miniskirt".

However, in 2020, Kwon Mina opened up about being bullied by her AOA members, leading to the group’s eventual disbandment.

In a more positive update, Kwon Mina also announced on January 15 that she has started a new chapter in her career.

She will be working as a consultant at a dermatology clinic near Sicheong Station, which is set to open in March, signaling her fresh start after a difficult year.

Fans have rallied around Kwon Mina with messages of support as she navigates this emotional time.

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