Lim Young-woong, 1st Place for 289 Consecutive Weeks on Idol Chart—A Trot Singer?

A trot singer, who is not even part of an idol group, has held the top position for a staggering 289 weeks. Singer Lim Young-woong is continuing a massive record of never once relinquishing the number one spot for more than 5 years and 6 months in the 'Idol Chart Rating Ranking'. Even amidst competition where rankings are recalculated every week, his name has not changed. More intense than the name of the chart is the weight of the record shown by the three syllables of Lim Young-woong.

In the first week of October 2026, Lim Young-woong rose to first place in the Idol Chart Rating Ranking, recording a total of 312,305 participants. He also had the highest number of likes at 32,039, and his average rating reached 4.99. With this, Lim Young-woong's consecutive number one record has increased to 289 weeks. It is a long-term reign that is difficult to explain solely through popularity for a week or two or the buzz of a specific period.

The starting point of this record was the fourth week of March 2021. At that time, Lim Young-woong released 'My Starry Love' and was communicating with a wide public beyond his existing image as a trot singer. The recognition built through the song and the cohesion of his fandom led to chart performance, and his first ascent to the top became the beginning of this long-term record.

At first, he held first place for a few weeks, but the record continued beyond 3 weeks and 5 weeks. Even as the years changed and changed again, the owner of the top spot did not change. In that way, more than 5 years and 6 months have passed from 2021 to October 2026, and Lim Young-woong has engraved the number of 289 consecutive weeks at number one. Due to the nature of weekly charts, new competition begins every time, but Lim Young-woong's name has guarded the very top every week.

What is most interesting is the fact that a singer who rose to stardom based on trot is occupying the top position for a long period on the stage called 'Idol Chart'. In a popular music market where the boundaries between genres and activity methods have become more flexible than in the past, Lim Young-woong's fandom is showing influence that is not limited to a specific genre. He has essentially proven his own presence by consistently drawing high participation even on an idol-centered chart.

The record of 289 consecutive weeks in first place means more than simply having a high number of votes for a single week. As it is a record that can only be maintained if fans participate and continue their support every week, it also reveals the long-term cohesion of the fandom. It draws even more attention in that high popularity did not end as a temporary fad but led to repeated participation.

Lim Young-woong's record is still ongoing. Behind the number 289 lie the accumulated time of fans' weekly participation and the time spent unchangeably guarding the top. Attention is focused on how far Lim Young-woong, who started as a trot singer and expanded his influence to overall popular music, will extend his consecutive number one record in the future.

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