In a historic achievement that has redefined the boundaries of K-pop, BLACKPINK’s Rosé has officially been crowned the No. 1 Global Artist of 2025 by Billboard.
This milestone follows a year of unprecedented chart dominance driven by her viral smash hit “APT.,” a collaboration with Bruno Mars , and the successful release of her first full-length studio album, rosie.
Historic Year-End Chart Performance
Billboard’s 2025 year-end charts, released in mid-December, solidified Rosé’s status as a global powerhouse.
Her single “APT.” achieved the rare feat of topping both the Billboard Year-End Global 200 and the Billboard Year-End Global Excl. U.S. charts.
The song’s success was not limited to global metrics; it also made a massive impact on the domestic U.S. market, finishing at No. 9 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 Singles chart.
This accomplishment makes Rosé the first K-pop solo artist in history to secure a top 10 placement on the year-end Hot 100, surpassing previous records held by legends like Psy.
Key Milestones and Breaking Records
The “APT.” era has been defined by a series of broken records and industry firsts:
- Streaming Giant: “APT.” was the most-streamed song worldwide in 2025, recording nearly 4.9 billion official on-demand global streams. It also became the first song to surpass 200 million weekly global streams twice.
- Grammy History: Rosé became the first lead K-pop artist to be nominated in the “Big Four” categories at the Grammy Awards, receiving nods for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
- Guinness World Records: Following her solo success, Rosé now holds eight Guinness World Records, the most for any K-pop solo artist, including the record for the fastest K-pop song to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify.
Rosé (Credit: YouTube)
- Radio Success: She became the first female K-pop soloist to break into the top 10 of the Billboard Radio Songs chart, bridging the gap between digital success and mainstream U.S. radio play.
Critical Acclaim and the “rosie” Era
Beyond the charts, Rosé’s debut studio album, rosie, was both a critical and commercial success, placing at No. 112 on the Year-End Billboard 200 albums chart.
Critics have praised the album for its vulnerability and artistic range, with Rosé herself describing 2024 and 2025 as the “most rewarding” years of her career.
Her collaboration with Bruno Mars has been hailed as a masterclass in cultural fusion, blending a Korean social drinking game with global pop sensibilities.
As she graces the cover of Billboard’s “No. 1s” edition, Rosé’s ascent to the top of the global music scene serves as a testament to her individual star power and the continued evolution of K-pop as a dominant force in the international industry.
While 2025 was a blockbuster year for many Western artists, Billboard’s data makes it clear: the year belonged to Rosé.
In a significant and somber development for the K-pop industry, Key , a prominent member of SHINee and a beloved television personality, has issued a detailed personal apology regarding his alleged connection to an individual involved in illegal medical practices.
This news comes as a shock to fans worldwide, as Key has long maintained a reputation for professionalism and integrity.
On December 17, 2025, the artist took to social media to address the growing controversy, expressing deep remorse and announcing a hiatus from the entertainment industry to reflect on his actions and surroundings.
The Core of the Controversy
The controversy centers around an individual referred to in Korean media as the “Injection Aunt” (a term often used for unlicensed individuals providing illegal cosmetic or medical injections).
Allegations surfaced recently suggesting a personal connection between Key and this individual, specifically regarding unlicensed medical treatments.
While the specific nature of the treatments has not been fully detailed in the public domain, the legal and ethical implications of such associations are severe in South Korea, where medical licensing is strictly regulated.
Key admitted to being “confused and taken aback” by facts he only recently learned. His apology suggests that while he may not have been fully aware of the illegal nature of the individual’s operations at the time, his lack of diligence in vetting his surroundings led to this compromise.
“I had believed I could keep myself far removed from matters like this, but that confidence may have prevented me from looking more carefully at my surroundings,” Key wrote, highlighting a lapse in judgment that has now cost him his immediate career stability.
SHINee’s Key (Credit: YouTube)
Immediate Professional Consequences
The fallout from the “Injection Aunt” scandal was swift. SM Entertainment, Key’s long-time agency, released a concurrent statement clarifying the situation and announcing that Key would be stepping down from all scheduled activities effective immediately.
This includes his highly anticipated role as the MC for the 2025 MBC Entertainment Awards, a position that typically signifies an entertainer’s peak status within the industry.
Beyond the awards ceremony, the “backlash” mentioned in reports suggests that various variety shows and programs featuring Key are in “turmoil.”
Production teams are reportedly grappling with how to handle existing footage and whether to proceed with planned appearances.
This suspension of activities is seen as a necessary step for the artist to cooperate with any potential investigations and to provide a period of public reflection, which is a standard procedure in the South Korean entertainment industry following such scandals.
Key’s Personal Statement: A Tone of Shame and Responsibility
In his social media post, Key’s tone was one of profound apology and accountability. He addressed his fans—who have supported him through nearly two decades of his career—stating that he feels “deeply sorry and ashamed.”
He vowed to “faithfully do everything that I am able to do” regarding the matter, which likely implies cooperation with legal authorities and a thorough internal review of his personal associations.
The timing of this controversy is particularly poignant for SHINee fans (Shawols), as December also marks the eighth anniversary of the passing of fellow member Jonghyun.
The community, already in a state of remembrance, now finds itself navigating a difficult legal and ethical situation involving another core member.
Moving Forward
The entertainment industry is currently watching closely to see how the investigation into the “Injection Aunt” unfolds and to what extent other figures might be involved.
For Key, the path forward involves a period of indefinite reflection. While K-pop history has shown that artists can return from such controversies through sincere repentance and time, the immediate future for Key remains uncertain.
Fans and industry experts alike are left waiting for further updates as the legal process takes its course and the artist begins his self-imposed hiatus.
