aespa’s “Drama” Surpasses 300 Million Views as ILLIT’s “It’s Me” Wins Again on “Inkigayo”

aespa’s “Drama” has hit a major milestone on YouTube, while ILLIT’s “It’s Me” continued to dominate South Korea’s weekly music charts. On June 21, aespa’s 2023 hit surpassed 300 million views on YouTube—becoming the group’s fastest music video to reach the number. Later the same day, on SBS’s “Inkigayo,” ILLIT earned yet another trophy, marking a triple crown for “It’s Me” on the show.

aespa’s “Drama” hits 300 million—new personal fastest record

According to reporting by Soompi, aespa’s “Drama” crossed 300 million views shortly after 11:20 p.m. KST on June 21. The milestone also marked the track as aespa’s second music video to surpass 300 million, following the earlier landmark success of “Next Level.”

The view-count timeline is what makes the achievement stand out. The music video for “Drama” was first released on November 10, 2023, which means it took just over two years, seven months, and 11 days to reach the milestone. In doing so, aespa reportedly beat their previous record—set by “Next Level,” which required three years, five months, and 22 days to hit the same view threshold.

In a landscape where “MV longevity” increasingly determines long-term momentum, aespa’s record suggests that “Drama” has remained consistently discoverable and rewatchable over time. That pattern is often what separates short-lived viral success from multi-year chart and streaming durability.

ILLIT wins again on “Inkigayo” with “It’s Me”

While aespa was celebrating a YouTube milestone, ILLIT was tallying another set of accolades in the live music-show arena. On the June 21 episode of SBS’s “Inkigayo,” ILLIT’s “It’s Me” competed for first place against two other major contenders: I.O.I’s “Suddenly” and aespa’s “LEMONADE.”

Ultimately, ILLIT secured the win with a total of 5,099 points, bringing their trophy count for “It’s Me” on “Inkigayo” to four wins. Just as importantly, Soompi reports this was the third time the song took first place on the program—granting it a triple crown.

For K-pop fans, triple crowns on major music shows are more than ceremonial titles. They typically reflect sustained dominance across the show’s combined scoring system, which can incorporate factors such as digital performance and voting metrics, depending on the program’s methodology.

Two-hit day: aespa’s chart presence meets ILLIT’s momentum

What makes June 21 particularly notable is the overlap between these two narratives: aespa’s music video success and ILLIT’s ongoing live performance streak both centered on the same broadcast day. aespa, of course, was not only behind the viral-consumption milestone for “Drama”, but also represented in the first-place lineup through “LEMONADE.” Meanwhile, ILLIT converted that competitive pressure into another week at the top with “It’s Me.”

Put simply, the day illustrated how K-pop success is increasingly multi-platform. YouTube milestones highlight global engagement, while music-show trophies emphasize domestic impact and performance-based visibility. When an artist or peer group achieves both—like aespa’s recorded growth on YouTube and ILLIT’s repeated wins in weekly programming—it suggests a broader base of audience attention rather than one-time spikes.

Performance-heavy episode showcases a full roster of contenders

Beyond the headline outcomes, the June 21 episode of “Inkigayo” included performances from a wide range of groups and soloists. Soompi’s recap lists acts such as RIIZE, STAYC, BOYNEXTDOOR, BABYMONSTER, and MEOVV, alongside izna, USPEER, SEEYA, EPEX, and additional performers including Jeon Yu Jin, Mighty Mouth (featuring Soya), and U Sung Eun.

This kind of lineup matters because it reinforces the show’s role as both a ranking platform and a televised stage for ongoing promotions. For K-pop fandoms, watching established and emerging artists share the same week’s broadcast is also a way to gauge shifting trends—what sounds are gaining momentum and which concepts are landing with audiences.

What comes next for both groups

With “Drama” now holding aespa’s fastest path to 300 million views, attention may shift to what the group’s next streaming goals will be—especially whether similar long-tail performance can carry forward to future releases. For fans, the key takeaway is that “Drama” is not only a hit from 2023, but a continuing benchmark for aespa’s global video presence.

For ILLIT, the immediate watch point is whether “It’s Me” can sustain its current dominance after achieving another Inkigayo first-place win. With the track already earning a triple crown, the storyline becomes less about reaching the milestone and more about maintaining its peak performance against fresh releases in the coming weeks.