It’s official: Kim Seokjin, also known as the sweetest face with the sharpest vocals and a soft spot for ARMYs’ tear ducts, just snagged the Best Music: Summer award at The Fact Music Awards 2025—and not because of some overhyped viral challenge or paid playlist promotion. No, he won because the song was actually good, and fans decided it deserved to win.
The award, which was decided purely by fan votes through the Fan&Star platform, wrapped up its two-week voting spree on July 28. Jin walked away with the crown thanks to his heartbreak anthem, “Don’t Say You Love Me,” from his solo EP Echo. He didn’t just beat out some rookies either—he went head-to-head with SEVENTEEN, j-hope, TXT, ATEEZ, and more. And still came out on top.
So, what made this song “Best Music of Summer” material? For starters, it’s not your typical poolside jam. Released on May 16, the track blends smooth pop with emotional honesty. Written by Tiggs and Wyatt Sanders, the lyrics cut deep into post-breakup confusion. Lines like “Don’t tell me that you’re gonna miss me / Just tell me that you wanna kill me” hit like a gut punch—but then Jin’s voice wraps around them and somehow makes them soothing. It’s melancholy with a side of comfort food. It’s a breakup song that doesn’t beg for sympathy—it just tells the truth.
And let’s not forget: this wasn’t even the most explosive or dramatic release of the year. Jin picked “Don’t Say You Love Me” as the lead single for Echo because, in his own words, it was simply the most pleasant to listen to. Imagine being that confident in your taste—choosing softness in a world obsessed with shock value—and still winning awards for it.
The reactions from ARMY? Unhinged joy, obviously. Social media exploded with celebration:
– “Well deserved win!”
– “This is the power of united fandom!”
– “Congratulations to our angel—he deserves the world!”
– “DSYLM is that girl.”
– And the most poetic of all: “Having your song sung back to you in a packed arena is the real prize. The trophy is just the cherry on top.”
And let’s talk about that competition. SEVENTEEN came in second with Thunder, which earned them a bus ad in Seoul. j-hope placed third with Killin’ It Girl, which got him a digital ad in Gangnam. Meanwhile, Jin? He’s getting the full trophy treatment at the official awards ceremony in Macau on September 20. Let’s just say the hierarchy is clear, and it looks good in silver.
Oh, and did we mention Jin is doing all this while on a global tour? His Run Seokjin Ep Tour kicked off in June and has been a series of sold-out, emotional, beautifully unhinged nights. He just made history as the first Asian soloist to sell out London’s O2 Arena. And he still found time to win a fan-voted award on the side. That’s multitasking at its finest.
In an industry where success often gets boiled down to chart manipulation, strategic PR leaks, and loud marketing, Jin is reminding everyone that music can still speak for itself. No gimmicks. No scandals. Just a good song, a sincere performance, and a fandom that shows up with everything they’ve got.
Jin didn’t just win an award—he won hearts, again. And if that’s not peak Jin behavior, what is?
