BTS and NewJeans surpassed... WOODZ’s “Drowning” sets Melon’s longest record with 70 weeks

Writing a new chapter in K-pop, 'WOODS'—an overwhelming presence that makes the military hiatus seem irrelevant

Singer 'WOODS' has set an unprecedented record in Korea’s mainstream music scene based on the miraculous 'reverse-trajectory' legend that emerged during his military service. His signature track 'Drowning' proved its immense impact by not only scoring a hit, but also redefining the long-running success standard for K-pop music audio charts.

Unprecedented 'Melon': enters the Top 10 for 70 consecutive weeks

According to an official announcement from his agency, Edam Entertainment, on the 15th, 'WOODS'’ 'Drowning' achieved the astonishing feat of entering the top 10 within the 'Melon' 'Top 100' chart on Korea’s largest music platform for 70 straight weeks. This figure far surpasses NewJeans’s previous all-time record for K-pop, 'Hype Boy' (49 weeks), and BTS’s 'Dynamite' (36 weeks), by a wide margin.

The miraculous 'reverse-trajectory' legend sparked by military service

Released in April 2023, the mini-album track 'Drowning' is a masterpiece in which 'WOODS' personally wrote the lyrics and composed the music, blending feelings of loss with explosive vocals and a powerful band sound. While its musical completeness was recognized right from the start, its true ripple effect ignited during his time in the military.

In October 2024, during the KBS 2TV 'Immortal Songs' Armed Forces Day special, the overwhelming live performance he delivered in uniform drew explosive praise from the public. As of the end of last month, the related video surpassed 30 million views, forming a strong viral phenomenon.

Sweeping major music charts and a successful return

Powered by a steep rise immediately after the broadcast, 'Drowning' topped major year-end charts, including 'Melon', as well as Genie and Circle Chart, firmly establishing itself as an icon of 'reverse-trajectory'. After successfully completing his military service, 'WOODS' is further accelerating his musical journey by releasing his first full-length album, 'Archive. 1,' in March, building on this strong fandom and public popularity.