Jin of BTS took first place in the ‘Global Artist Representing K-Pop‘ theme poll held on ‘Idol Chart’, proving his international influence once again.
In this vote, which was held from September 22 to 28, 2025, Jin received overwhelming support, receiving a total of 14,859 votes (about 44%).
Second place went to Jimin, who received 11,230 votes (about 33%). They were followed by V (2,436 votes), Suga (1,484 votes), J-Hope (1,439 votes), Twice (594 votes), Jungkook (544 votes), IU (531 votes), Ahn Yu-jin (203 votes), and RM (191 votes).
Jin has proven his status as a ‘global artist representing K-pop’ in all areas including fan voting, album sales, critic evaluations, and industry recognition, establishing himself as a global icon of K-pop in name and reality.
The solo album ‘Echo’ released this year was recorded as the best-selling album among Korean solo artists in the United States. It achieved the highest sales in the first half of the year based on pure sales, breaking G-Dragon’s record by exceeding 727,000 copies on the Hanteo Chart on the first day. This album, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart and ranked No. 1 in 63 countries on iTunes, shows that Jin’s outstanding vocals and storytelling have been recognized around the world.
Jin’s first solo world tour ‘Run Seokjin’ in 2025 ranked 14th in Polestar’s ‘Top 20 Global Concert Tours’, earning an average of $2.74 million per city. This is the highest ranking for an Asian solo artist, ranking 9th on the Billboard Top Tour monthly chart (profit of $32.5 million, audience 217,000), rewriting the global standard for K-pop concerts.
Jin’s solo albums ‘Happy’ and ‘Echo’ are highly evaluated for album completion. Consequence of Sound, an American music media outlet, commented on the Happy album, saying, “Jin has completely established himself in his own right through his solo songs. He seems to have achieved his goal,” and Billboard, an American music media outlet, said, “‘Happy’ is an album that proves Jin’s ability to explore new musical horizons as he has grown creatively.”
The British NME analyzed, “‘Echo’, based on the band sound, further solidifies Jin’s position as a vocalist. He does not stay in the rock genre but continues to explore music by broadening his spectrum,” and Rolling Stone said, “With this album, Jin further enhances his own style and shows off his dazzling charm. It emanates. “He sings with ease and confidence as if he has never left the stage.”
Jin is showing a rare balance as a K-pop solo artist by encompassing album performance, performance indicators, and even critics’ evaluations. In the 2020s, K-pop became the mainstream of the global music market by dominating the Billboard charts, expanding global tours, and brand collaboration. If BTS is the pioneer of the trend, Jin is further expanding the trend through his solo activities.
Jin, who made a comeback after completing his military service in 2024, is spreading the emotional and cultural appeal of K-pop to the world through his solo album and tour, strengthening the image of “K-pop = innovative global entertainment.”
Now that Jin’s name has soon become a brand, his next move is expected to expand the boundaries of K-pop once again.
