[Kang Il-hong's Today Entertainment] 'Jang Hanbyul's First Concert Ticket War, Sold Out in 2 Minutes

Lim Young Woong, Melon Cumulative Streaming Surpasses 14.6 Billion Views... Another 'Great Record'Wednesday, September 30, Jang Hanbyul/ Lim Young Woong/ BTS/ Ko Young-wook/ Kim Jong Kook[THE FACT|Reporter Kang Il-hong] Tickets for singer Jang Hanbyul's first solo concert were literally 'instantly sold out.' But what's more surprising is that this isn't the first time. The fan meeting in July sold out all seats in 1 minute, and this first solo concert sold out all seats in 2 minutes. This moment truly confirmed the ticket power of the fandom 'Eunhasu.'Jang Hanbyul's first solo concert, titled 'THE STAR IS BORN,' will be held on October 31st at the Daehan Hall of Sejong University in Seoul, with two performances at 1 PM and 6 PM.Ticket reservations began at 2 PM on the 29th. All seats were sold out in just 2 minutes, and for the fans who were waiting for ticketing, it was literally a 'ticket war.'In particular, within the fandom 'Eunhasu,' there were reports of heated enthusiasm, with some even saying they would mobilize their children and grandchildren to get tickets. This shows how desperately fans wanted to see Jang Hanbyul's first solo concert in person.So, why are they so enthusiastic? The first reason is, of course, talent. Jang Hanbyul gained recognition by reaching the TOP3 in MBN's 'Muyeong Legend' and recently won first place on KBS2's 'Immortal Songs' after performing with Sungri.They reinterpreted Songgolmae's 'Accidentally Met You' with a performance that blended dance, rock, and trot, showcasing explosive vocals and stage presence.The second reason is their broad appeal that transcends genres. This concert will feature various genres, including trot, ballad, and pop, performed with a live band. In particular, a special unreleased stage, only to be revealed at the first solo concert, has been announced, raising fans' expectations.And the third, and most importantly, is the time they have built with their fans. After extensive stage experience, Jang Hanbyul is now embarking on their first solo concert under their own name. Therefore, this performance is not just a place to listen to music, but also a stage to confirm the journey Jang Hanbyul has taken with the fandom 'Eunhasu' and to announce a new beginning.Following the 1-minute sell-out of the fan meeting and the 2-minute sell-out of the first solo concert, this is a record that proves the phrase 'ticket power' attached to Jang Hanbyul's name is by no means an exaggeration. Now, there's only one thing left. How much passionate support will 'Eunhasu,' who secured tickets in 2 minutes, show at Daehan Hall on October 31st?Jang Hanbyul's first solo concert 'THE STAR IS BORN,' as the name suggests, fans are keenly watching to see if it will be another moment where a star shines.Records Continue... Melon Reaches 14.6 Billion Streams, Endless New Record StreakSinger Lim Young Woong has set another great record. On Melon, Korea's largest music platform, they have achieved cumulative streaming of 14.6 billion views, once again proving their endless streak of new records.According to the Melon Hall of Fame's artist section, Lim Young Woong's cumulative streams amount to a staggering 14.6 billion. This figure, which is the sum of all songs released by Lim Young Woong since their debut, reflects their consistent music power as a solo artist.Notably, Lim Young Woong further enhanced their musical journey by releasing the special digital album 'IM HERO 10' on the 8th. Immediately after the album's release, all of its tracks ranked on major music charts, and they quickly entered the top ranks on Melon TOP100 and HOT100.The title track 'TtoTto,' which Lim Young Woong participated in writing and composing, topped the Billboard Korea Global K-Song Chart, receiving a热烈 response. In addition, other tracks such as 'New York,' 'Baila,' 'Moise,' 'You Will Be Happy,' and 'To Us Who Have Lived' also appeared on the Global K-Song Chart, maintaining interest.This album consists of 6 new songs and 4 remake songs, totaling 10 tracks. In particular, the reinterpretation of their debut song 'Miwoyo' drew attention. 'Love Always Runs Away,' which was loved as an OST for the drama 'Young Lady and Gentleman,' was also included as a remake version.'Love Always Runs Away' is also a song that set another record by surpassing 1 billion cumulative streams on Melon in July. Lim Young Woong had already entered the 'Diamond Club' by surpassing 10 billion cumulative streams on Melon for the first time and in the shortest period as a solo artist.And now, they have added a new record of 14.6 billion views. With overwhelming streaming records confirmed by numbers, consistently loved representative songs, and challenges with new music, fans' interest is growing even more about how far Lim Young Woong's record streak will continue.'Arirang' Dominates Billboard for 6 Months... VMA 3 Wins Reconfirm Global PresenceBTS, BTS's global activities are once again shaking the world music market. Their 5th full album 'Arirang' has remained on the Billboard main album chart 'Billboard 200' for 6 consecutive months, showcasing their immense music power.According to the latest Billboard chart, 'Arirang' ranked 40th. Since its debut at number 1 in April, it has stayed on the 'Billboard 200' chart for an impressive 27 consecutive weeks. In particular, it held the top spot for three consecutive weeks from its initial entry, once again proving BTS's global influence.The long run of the title track 'SWIM' is also noteworthy. It ranked 22nd on the 'Global 200' and 7th on the global chart excluding the US. On the global chart, it has remained in the top 10 for 27 consecutive weeks since its debut at number 1. In addition, significant records have been added at global awards ceremonies.At the '2026 MTV Video Music Awards' (VMA) held on the 27th, BTS won 'Song of the Year' and 'Best K-Pop' for 'SWIM,' and also took home 'Best Group,' sweeping all three categories for which they were nominated.In particular, winning 'Song of the Year' is a first for a K-pop group, and it is evaluated as a case that once again demonstrated BTS's presence in the US mainstream music market. This 'Best Group' award also marks their 5th win in total.Returning as a full group after their military hiatus, BTS is now expanding their stage beyond charts and awards ceremonies to global tours. They will embark on the 'BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG'' South American tour, starting in Bogota, Colombia, on October 2nd.From the album's long-term success and global chart performance to awards at world-renowned ceremonies, BTS's 2026 activities are not just about 'returning to the top,' but are demonstrating with numbers and records that they are still a group with powerful influence in the global music market.Banished from Instagram and YouTube, now TikTok... How Should I Live Now?Ko Young-wook, a former member of the group Roola, who chose to face public disapproval rather than live a quiet life of repentance for his past wrongdoings, also drew backlash for trying to gain attention by arbitrarily targeting fellow celebrities.Ko Young-wook, a former member of the group Roola, has now been banned from TikTok as well. Ko Young-wook recently created a TikTok account and shared videos, attempting to reconnect with the public. However, the account was deleted on the 28th, just one day after its creation was revealed.TikTok Korea explained that account holders confirmed to have committed sex crimes against minors have their accounts, as well as any other accounts they may own, permanently suspended. Regarding this, Ko Young-wook stated, "Perhaps I should change my name to Gojeuneuk, clean up dog poop at home, ride my bike to go grocery shopping, and live a leisurely life by running in a quiet place."The next day, he expressed his complex emotions by mentioning rivers, clouds, emptiness, and silence. This is not the first time Ko Young-wook has faced such a situation. His Instagram account was deleted just one day after its creation in 2020, and his YouTube channel's activities were blocked in 2024.The background to this is his past conviction for sex crimes against minors, for which he received a prison sentence. Ko Young-wook was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison, served his sentence, and was released in 2015. His electronic monitoring period also ended in 2018.Regardless of the fact that he has legally completed his sentence, the public's and platforms' perception of him remains heavy. In particular, activities that expose him to the public, separate from his freedom of expression, are inevitably judged alongside social standards for protecting victims and minors.So, what does Ko Young-wook need going forward? At least based on the situation so far, it seems more important to accept his past with gravity and demonstrate a lifestyle that does not harm others over a long period, rather than regaining public attention.Living quietly is also an option. And for that choice to be genuine, actions will be needed more than words, responsibility more than explanations, and restraint more than attention. Ko Young-wook's future life will ultimately depend on his own choices.However, it is clear that past wrongdoings do not automatically disappear with time, and it takes a long time to regain public trust once it has been broken.Stars Who Don't Spend Even When They Have Money... Kim Jong Kook&Jeon Won-ju&Seo Jang-hoon's Different SidesFor our last piece of news today, we will share the results of an unusual survey. What's the difference between frugality and stinginess? For starters, it has nothing to do with giving or sharing.Not spending money carelessly and saving it for necessary places is 'frugality,' but when one is so stingy that they give the impression of being excessively miserly even when spending, we often call them 'stingy person' or 'stingy woman.'Recently, interesting survey results were released. DC Inside conducted a survey on the topic, "Which star, no matter how much money they earn, would live without spending a single won on those around them?"Out of a total of 7,506 votes, the first place went to Kim Jong Kook with 1,214 votes (16%). Second place was Jeon Won-ju with 1,126 votes (15%), and third place was Seo Jang-hoon with 650 votes (9%). They were followed by Jang Won-young, Im Woo-il, and Kyuhyun. However, looking closely at this ranking, there is an interesting commonality.First, Kim Jong Kook. The image of frugality attached to Kim Jong Kook is closer to a style of concentrating money and energy on things they consider important, rather than simply not spending money.While showing considerable interest in exercise and self-management, their tendency to reduce unnecessary spending has been repeatedly exposed through various variety shows. In particular, by revealing their spending habit of saving most of their income, the image of a "person whose spending level is unlikely to change much even if they earn a lot of money" was created.Second place, Jeon Won-ju, is slightly different. For Jeon Won-ju, frugality and financial management are connected as a character. She is known not only for her thrifty lifestyle but also for her investment methods of holding assets such as stocks, real estate, and gold for long periods.In particular, the story of her holding SK Hynix stocks, which she purchased around 2011, until now has become a representative example showcasing Jeon Won-ju's economic sense. She has also emphasized her long-term holding principle on recent broadcasts. In other words, for Jeon Won-ju, there is an image of "a person who doesn't spend" along with the image of "a person who saves and turns it into assets."Third place, Seo Jang-hoon, is a different type. Seo Jang-hoon gives a strong impression of being someone who views money realistically, rather than emphasizing frugality. From his days as a basketball player until now, he has spoken relatively honestly about his financial sense and spending habits, and on broadcasts, he has shown a "realistic consumption attitude of distinguishing between what is necessary and what is unnecessary."And Jang Won-young's thorough self-management and clear-cut image, along with Im Woo-il and Kyuhyun's thrifty and rational spending habits shown on broadcasts, likely influenced these results.So, here's an important question: Do these people really not spend a single won on those around them? Of course, this survey did not confirm that. This survey was not an investigation of actual expenditure or relationships, but rather a vote on the "image of frugality" that the public perceives from each star.Ultimately, what this result shows is not "stars who don't spend money," but rather the public's image of "stars who seem unlikely to spend money carelessly."And this is precisely where the difference between frugality and stinginess arises. Frugality is an action that enhances the value of money, while stinginess can be an attitude of begrudging the act of spending money itself. It is more difficult than earning a lot of money to not be swayed by spending even when earning a lot. Perhaps the commonality among the stars people thought of in this survey is this.eel@tf.co.kr