Korean media has listed Kim Taehyung as one of the most popular Koreans to foreigners, and one of the Top Representatives of Korean Culture, along with Squid Game, Parasite, PSY's Gangnam Style, and his own group BTS.
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BTS is undoubtedly the most popular K-pop act in the world, but K-media detailed how V, as an individual, has become a popular representative of Korean culture.
Taehyung is said to have opened the door to the worldwide popularity of Korean OSTs with his self-composed OST "Sweet Night" for the 2020 drama "Itaewon Class."
With 225 million streams, "Sweet Night" is currently the most-streamed Korean OST on Spotify, one of the largest streaming platforms in the world. It also holds the record for the most iTunes #1s globally.
At the "2021 Seoul International Music Fair (MU:CON)," V was also credited as one of the driving forces of the spread of K-content worldwide.
This is due to his influence in boosting the popularity of "Itaewon Class," which had a domino effect and led people to check out other K-dramas. This also includes the various K-webtoons he has recommended over the years.
Taehyung's most recent OST, "Christmas Tree," was also mentioned for making history after it became the 1st Korean OST to chart on the US Billboard's Hot 100 chart.
And despite many OSTs released since then, "Christmas Tree" retains its position as the highest-charting OST in the US, the largest music market in the world.
V's participation in the OST was also credited by Variety, a prominent American media company, for helping "Our Beloved Summer" gain popularity around the world.
In addition, Taehyung's various social media records on Instagram were also highlighted. This includes his Guinness World Records for his record-breaking growth in followers and becoming the 1st Asian celebrity to enter the "Top 20 Most-Liked Posts" of all time.
To date, Taehyung remains the highest-ranked Asian male on the Top Influencer list, both worldwide and in the US, and the only one to have entered the Top 10. He is also currently the highest Korean act on the list.
Source: Allkpop
