[Sportschosun Baek Ji-eun] Singer Kim Ho-joong has once again proven his strong digital music power.
On the 23rd, Kim Ho-joong reached 5 billion cumulative streams on Melon, the country's largest music platform, and entered the Gold Club.
Melon operates a commemorative space called the Melon Hall of Fame based on artists' cumulative streaming totals. Among them, the Gold Club title is given to top-tier artists who have surpassed 5 billion streams but have not yet reached 10 billion. Kim Ho-joong became the sixth artist to join that group.
His entry into the Gold Club was achieved not by relying on a single hit song, but through the steady and balanced popularity of many of his signature tracks. Even more notably, it is extremely rare for a trot and classical-based solo singer to post such a record in an idol-driven music market.
Meanwhile, Kim Ho-joong drew attention in 2009 when he appeared on SBS's "Star King" as the "high school Pavarotti." In particular, his story of overcoming a difficult childhood and devoting himself to vocal music under the guidance of teacher Seo Soo-yong became the inspiration for the film "Paparotti." He later finished fourth on TV Chosun's "Mr. Trot" in 2020, showcasing his own style of music that blends trot and classical singing. His full-length album "Our Story" and classical album "The Classic Album" each sold more than 500,000 copies, proving his popularity.
Baek Ji-eun, silk781220@sportschosun.com
