Melon streaming 11.5 billion times. At this point, singer Lim Young-woong‘s popularity has broken through the ceiling, not just the charts.
This is the moment when the adjective ‘Lim Young-woong, whom you can trust and listen to’, fits him perfectly. The DIA Club, the 11.5 billion, it’s all Lim Young-woong-like.

As of April 6, Lim Young-woong has recorded 11.5 billion cumulative Melon streamings. It was 11.4 billion on March 18, so he added another 100 million in just 19 days. At this point, it seems like it would be okay to simply call the music charts ‘Lim Young-woong‘s playground’.

In fact, Lim Young-woong already entered the Melon DIA Club in June 2024.
The DIA Club is a special title given to artists who have achieved 10 billion streams on Melon, and so far, BTS has been the only singer to have made it to this club.

Lim Young-woong is the second to do so, and the first male solo singer.
The fact that he achieved this on his own deserves even louder applause.

Lim Young-woong’s representative album is definitely ‘IM HERO’.
This first full-length album, released in May 2022, has been streamed over 4 billion times on Melon.
‘Will We Meet Again’, ‘Our Blues’, ‘Anthem of Life’, etc. All the songs that bring a melody to mind just by hearing their names are in this album. At this point, it wouldn‘t be an exaggeration to call it a “national album.”

“Trust Me Now,” which was his first single after winning “Mr. Trot,” also surpassed 1 billion cumulative views.
When he said, “Trust Me Now,” people actually believed him. And he rewarded us with infinite replays.

The number 11.5 billion is impressive, but Lim Young-woong’s real charm may be hidden behind it.
His songs have a human touch, comfort, and emotion.
A singer who creates music that spans generations, crosses genre boundaries, and everyone can sing along.
That‘s why his streaming numbers aren’t just records, but closer to the ‘sum of empathy’.

No one knows how far Lim Young-woong will go in the future.
However, what is certain is that even at this very moment, his music is being played on people‘s playlists, cafe speakers, and in cars.
Lim Young-woong, even at this very moment, is singing about emotion beyond records.


Reporter Yang Hyeong-mo hmyang0307@donga.com

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.