BTS member Jin is unstoppable! The global star has just been awarded the '2025 First Brand Awards' in the Vietnam category as the 'Male Solo Artist,' further solidifying his status as a superstar across the globe.

On January 7, Jin was named the winner of this prestigious honor, announced by the Korea Consumer Forum.

The '2025 Korea First Brand Awards,' now in its 23rd year, is one of the largest brand award ceremonies in South Korea, recognizing the most influential figures and brands based on surveys from consumers and expert evaluations.

What makes this recognition even more exciting is that the awards are based on consumer surveys beyond South Korea, including Vietnam, giving Jin a truly international boost.

Through these surveys, the Korea Consumer Forum identified brands and figures with huge global potential, and it’s clear that Jin is one of them!

Jin earned this top spot after the huge success of his first solo album Happy, which dropped on November 15, 2024.

His unique sound, blending rock band vibes with his incredible vocals and deep emotional delivery, took the world by storm. Not only did Happy dominate charts, but it also earned Jin the title of a top solo artist internationally.

His title track, Running Wild, stood out as the ONLY song by a male K-pop artist to be included in Amazon Music's '2025 Playlist', further cementing Jin’s worldwide fame. His influence as a global artist is undeniable, and the love from Vietnamese fans proves just how far his reach extends!

Since being discharged from the military on June 12, 2024, Jin has been on fire, participating in multiple activities that keep him in the spotlight. He was even a torchbearer for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics!

In addition, Jin has landed prestigious ambassador roles, including being a global ambassador for luxury brands like FRED and GUCCI. His collaboration with beauty giant LANEIGE led to products flying off the shelves, earning him the nickname 'Worldwide Sold-Out King.'

But that’s not all! Jin also represents the U.S. audio company Dolby and luxury activewear brand Alo Yoga. He was even named the 2024 Seoul Tourism Ambassador, showing off his versatile charm across the globe. Fans can’t get enough of him, especially with his solo variety show Run, Seokjin, where his warmth and comedic genius shine.

And if that wasn’t enough, Jin’s new role in the upcoming tvN drama When the Stars Gossip has fans buzzing, especially after news broke that he’ll be performing the main theme song for the series. Jin truly is a global phenomenon, and there’s no stopping him!

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The upcoming SBS drama Love Scout, starring Han Ji Min and Lee Jun Hyuk, is already making headlines—but for all the wrong reasons.

Recent revelations about the show’s co-director, Ham Joon Ho, have sparked controversy. It was revealed that Ham Joon Ho had faced legal issues in 2020 for assault and defamation while intoxicated.

This incident led to disciplinary action within SBS and has raised questions about his involvement in the new project.

On January 13, the production team of Love Scout released an official apology, saying, "We deeply regret causing concern with unpleasant news related to PD Ham Joon Ho."

They confirmed the allegations, stating, "It is true that PD Ham Joon Ho was accused of assault and defamation while intoxicated in early 2020. However, he sincerely apologized to all victims, and the matter was resolved through forgiveness and mutual agreement."

They added, "He also received legal punishment for the incident. Additionally, reports about his prior criminal record from five years ago are unrelated to this case, as they involve a misdemeanor."

The team explained that Ham Joon Ho was suspended from his duties following the incident and spent three years reflecting on his actions before returning to directing. They added, "We kindly ask for viewers’ understanding."

The controversy began after online posts brought up the 2020 incident, sharing a news article from that time. The article described an SBS drama department employee, referred to as “A,” causing a disturbance in Hannam-dong, Seoul, while intoxicated. Police booked “A,” and due to their prior criminal record, an arrest warrant was requested but later denied.

It was later confirmed that “A” was PD Ham Joon Ho. After serving his suspension, he made his directorial comeback with the SBS drama Payback before taking on Love Scout.

Despite the production team's apology, the controversy has cast a shadow over the highly anticipated drama, leaving viewers wondering how it will impact the show’s reception.

Stay tuned for more updates as this story unfolds!

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