the first trot song ever included in a school textbook, and dominant variety show ratings, she now eyes a solo LA concert in 2026 as the start of her global expansion.
Singer Song Ga-in rewrote both records and symbols in 2025, once again cementing her stature as the undisputed “Queen of Trot.” From historic first-week sales to inclusion in school textbooks and commanding television ratings, she demonstrated a presence that transcended genre and generation throughout the year.
On February 11, Song released her fourth full-length album GA-IN; Dal. Rooted in traditional trot, the album organically incorporates ballads, mid-tempo tracks, and modern pop sensibilities, revealing an expanded musical spectrum. Her deepened emotional delivery and restrained expression were widely praised as proof of how far “Song Ga-in–style trot” has evolved.
Commercial success followed immediately. “GA-IN; Dal” recorded first-week sales of 21,044 copies, setting a new record for the highest initial sales by a female trot singer. The figure, nearly double the previous top record, numerically underscored why Song Ga-in continues to reign at the top of the genre.
Her musical credibility was equally evident. Through “Tears Are Falling,” gifted by Shim Soo-bong, and “Love Mambo,” written by Seol Woon-do, she reaffirmed her position as a leading figure of trot’s modern golden era. “Tears Are Falling” climbed to No. 3 on the Kakao Music real-time chart shortly after release, while her first dance-based track, “Love Mambo,” drew attention for boldly crossing genre boundaries.
A particularly symbolic milestone came in October of the previous year, when her signature song I'm Ga-in was included in a middle school music textbook. It marked the first time a trot song had been officially adopted into the national curriculum, signaling formal recognition of the genre’s cultural and educational value through Song Ga-in’s work.
Her impact extended strongly into television. SBS’s My Little Old Boy, featuring Song Ga-in, recorded a 10.5 percent viewership rating among households in the Seoul metropolitan area, ranking first among all weekly variety programs. MBC’s “If You Rest, You’re Lucky” posted 4.6 percent nationwide, the highest among Monday entertainment shows, while KBS2’s “Delivery Has Arrived” reached a personal best of 2.6 percent. The nickname “ratings cheat code” proved more than rhetorical.
Beyond music and broadcasting, Song Ga-in continued to broaden her cultural footprint. At the “2025 Runway to Seoul” event, she presented fashion that fused traditional Korean attire with Hangul motifs, introducing Korean aesthetics and sentiment to an international audience.
Her digital influence also expanded, as her official YouTube channel surpassed 100,000 subscribers, earning the platform’s Silver Play Button. Attention now turns to 2026. In February, Song Ga-in will hold a solo concert in Los Angeles, directly presenting the essence of Korean music to global fans. The performance is expected to mark the starting point of a broader overseas tour and a full-scale entry into the global music market.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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