BTS's Jimin shines once again as the representative frontman of K-pop.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, along with the Korea Tourism Organization, have recently published a report using data from the last three years of global social and online media users, credit card companies, telecommunications companies, and statistical surveys. The report titled 'Understanding the Relationship between Popular K-Culture Themes and Korean Travel Among Top 20 Countries Visiting Korea through Global Social Data' showcases the standing of K-pop culture.
According to the report, among the global social media users in the main 20 countries visiting Korea, the interest in K-pop is the highest within the cultural sectors. In the 'Song' category of K-pop topics, Jimin's 'Like Crazy' and 'Set Me Free Pt.2' were prominently included.
Jimin's solo song 'Like Crazy,' the title track of his debut solo album 'FACE,' is the only Korean solo song to have ever reached the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It continues to be an unprecedented achievement. With the pre-release track 'Set Me Free Pt.2' also receiving much love, Jimin is the only K-pop artist to have two songs in the 'Song' category, which highlights his global fame and popularity.
Long mentioned as a leading figure driving the popularity of K-pop worldwide, Jimin was ranked fourth in the favorite K-culture star category among Brazilians according to the '2022 KOFICE Global Hallyu Trend Report' published by the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange. This ranking, the highest for an individual idol member, caught the attention of Brazilian news outlets at the time. In the United States, Jimin was the only member of the team to rank in the TOP5, and the '2022 KOFICE Global Hallyu Trend Report' noted that this high ranking in both Brazil and the US attests to the considerable level of popularity not just of the team, but of the individual members as well. In Turkey, he recorded the highest ranking for a male idol at number 5, proving the love of global fans across borders.
Global commerce platform eBay revealed in their analysis for the first quarter of this year that K-pop items showed strength in overseas exports. Included among the popular K-pop items was the February issue of 'W Korea,' which featured Jimin perfectly embodying Dior's 2023 summer collection after being selected as a global ambassador for DIOR.
With the release of his first solo album 'FACE' in 2023, ten years since his debut, Jimin embarked on a full-fledged solo career, showcasing his exceptional talents individually. He continues to grow as an artist desired by the world, playing a vital role as the representative face of K-pop.
