Cultural Insight

[Anchor Lead]

For musical artists these days, the number of views on YouTube is an important barometer to measure popularity and influence. K-pop girl group BLACKPINK has set a world record by reaching a YouTube view milestone. Let's take a look.

[Pkg]

BLACKPINK's music video set a YouTube record by getting 100 million views in the shortest amount of time. According to the group's agency, the girls released the online music video for "Kill This Love," the title song of their new mini album, at Friday midnight. The video surpassed 100 million views at around 2 p.m. Sunday, about 62 hours after its release. Among YouTube videos, Kill This Love is now the fastest to reach that mark. The song also topped iTunes music charts in 37 countries, including the U.S., Mexico and Russia. BLACKPINK is the first Korean girl group to rank first on the U.S. iTunes chart. The four-member band plans to build on this accomplishment and ride on its momentum to make it big in the States. Two upcoming Hollywood films are drawing attention here in the nation, as they feature actors of Korean descent. Korean-American Daniel Dae Kim stars in the third Hellboy film, to be released on April 10. Born in Busan, Kim rose to fame by appearing in a number of American TV series, including CSI and Lost. In Hellboy, Kim was cast as Maj. Ben Daimio, a monster hunter who eventually works with Hellboy to stop a powerful sorceress from destroying mankind. He put up an amazing performance especially in action scenes, integral to fantasy superhero movies like this one. Korean-French actress Pom Klementieff stars in another Avengers movie, titled Endgame, opening on April 24. She joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, playing Mantis, an awkward, bug-like alien. She was back as Mantis in Avengers: Infinity War last year. The two stars making a big splash in Hollywood has a faithful following here in Korea. Fans are hoping to see more Korean actors and actors of Korean descent in Hollywood blockbusters.