Group SEVENTEEN 'Meboz' Dokyeom X Seungkwan's "Blue" is spreading by word of mouth even among overseas music fans.
"Blue" recently topped Spotify's daily viral songs in Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia (on the 26th, same below). This chart ranks songs by data such as recent play counts or sharing frequency that have surged. Dokyeom X Seungkwan also made the chart's top 10 in Hong Kong (No. 3), Taiwan (No. 3), Singapore (No. 6) and Korea (No. 9). It is an unusual achievement for a traditional ballad in the K-pop market, which centers on intense performances.
The mini first album that includes "Blue," "Soya-gok," entered the Billboard 200, Billboard's main album chart in the United States. It has also ranked No. 3 on Japan's Oricon weekly album ranking and No. 3 on the weekly combined album ranking, among other strong overseas results. The record previously ranked No. 1 on the weekly EP digital bestseller album chart of China's largest music platform, QQ Music (tracking period Jan. 9–15).
Released on the 12th, "Soya-gok" is an album that unfolds the theme of "ordinary love" with emotional storytelling. The six tracks arranged along the trajectory of love delicately capture emotions layered in daily life, drawing listeners' empathy and immersion. In particular, "Blue" was praised for portraying the complex feelings when the pace of love is misaligned through Dokyeom X Seungkwan's pleading, rich voices.
Because it is a song anyone can empathize with, fans' voluntary challenges followed. The "duet challenge," where fans try harmonizing with Dokyeom and Seungkwan, was the most popular. As related videos flooded social media, "Blue" also topped Instagram's rising audio chart. On the 28th, an instrumental version of "Blue" was released on SEVENTEEN's YouTube channel, and active fan participation in challenges is expected to continue.
The "vocal challenge" by "singing masters" is also drawing attention. Starting with the group Davichi, artists from various genres — Gummy, Kim Tae Woo, Younha, Daybreak, 10CM, Wooz — reinterpreted "Blue" in their own colors, adding listening enjoyment. Recently, Apink's Jeong Eun-ji, DAY6's Young K, BOYNEXTDOOR's Sungho and Liu, and TWS's Youngjae and Kyungmin also participated, fueling "Blue"'s long-running popularity.
[Photo] Provided by PLEDIS Entertainment Co.
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