A screen capture from BTS Jin's Super Tuna video, filmed at a seaside location
A screen capture from BTS Jin's Super Tuna video, filmed at a seaside location

With the Gangneung Coffee Festival — the country's largest coffee event — set to run from Oct. 21 to Oct. 25 at the Anmok Beach coffee street and surrounding areas of Gangneung, BTS member Jin has been named the top star best suited to model for a coffee brand.

Jin, the eldest member of BTS and widely celebrated as a "worldwide handsome boy," claimed an overwhelming first place in an Idol Chart poll conducted from Oct. 5 to Oct. 11, garnering 6,338 votes. The poll asked respondents to choose the star who would best fit a coffee advertisement under the theme "A warm cup of coffee this autumn!"

The Anmok coffee street traces its origins to the rows of seven or eight instant-coffee vending machines that once stood under the eaves of buildings near Anmok Port, where fishermen returning from sea would warm themselves with a cup. As the country's top baristas began gathering in the area, the tradition eventually grew into the Gangneung Coffee Festival.

Anmok, Gangneung
Anmok, Gangneung

Locals in Gangneung have noted that the survey result carries a certain resonance with the history of Anmok Port: Jin's viral hit "Super Tuna," which he created on the spot to cheer up fishermen and fish-market vendors, became a global sensation — making him, in the eyes of many residents, a natural fit for a coffee brand tied to the port's heritage.

The coffee festival coincides with several other major events in Gangneung: the Gangneung ITS World Congress, an international intelligent transport systems conference running from Oct. 19 to Oct. 23; the Haslla International Art Festival, bringing contemporary art and culture from around the world to the city from Oct. 16 to Oct. 25; and the Gangneung K-Drone Festival, also scheduled from Oct. 19 to Oct. 23. Visitors traveling to Gangneung during this period will find themselves with an unusually rich array of events to enjoy all at once.

BTS member J-Hope came in second in the coffee ad poll with 737 votes, followed by Girls' Generation's Hyoyeon with 706 votes, ballad singer Kim Jae-hwan with 531 votes, trot music singer Jeon Yu-jin with 446 votes, and Song Ha-young with 351 votes.

Singer Lee Seung-yoon [provided by Marum]
Singer Lee Seung-yoon [provided by Marum]

A separate poll currently running on Idol Chart's "POLL" section asks users to choose the star who best fits a cool autumn festival atmosphere. Singer Lee Seung-yoon, known for his remarkably youthful looks, is currently leading the vote.

Lee drew wide attention on social media after Waterbomb festival star Bibi — nine years his junior — mistook him for someone younger than herself and treated him like a little brother, only to be visibly shocked when she later learned his real age.

With voting still ongoing, Lee So-ra, Younha, Jung Seung-hwan, Lee Byung-chan and Park Chang-geun currently occupy second through sixth place, though the rankings are expected to shift as more votes come in.


abc@heraldcorp.com