Hwang Youngwoong Stakes His Claim as Trot King
If the Netizen Awards were a K-drama, we’re at that nail-biting mid-season moment. As of August 7 at 5:33 p.m. KST, trot sensation Hwang Youngwoong has taken a commanding lead in the 2025 August Netizen Awards Male Singer category with 21,090 votes (42.1%). That’s nearly triple the count of his closest rival—and fans are definitely driving the narrative.
His recently released track “Tteugaeot” (roughly translated to “Knitted Sweater”) seems to be striking the right emotional chords. And it’s not just love for the song—fans are organizing serious voting campaigns. We’re talking spreadsheet-level coordination. One fan commented, “We’ll keep him on top, every vote counts!”
Rivalry Watch: The ‘Son-Park Showdown’
Second place goes to Son Taejin with 6,300 votes (12.6%), followed closely by Park Jihyun at 5,246 votes (10.5%). The race between them has been so tight and unpredictable that fans have dubbed it the ‘Son-Park War’.
Meanwhile, Jang Minho and Enoch are neck and neck at 7.0% each—close enough that a few viral tweets or fan posts could shake things up.
Midfield Mayhem and Comeback Watch
Other familiar names in the middle tier include Jinwon (4.6%), Hong Isaac (3.7%), Park Changgeun (3.2%), and Jeong Dongwon (2.7%). Each has a strong fanbase that could help turn things around in the second half of August.
Further down in the rankings, we see trot heavyweights like Park Seojin, Ahn Seonghoon, Youngtak, and Lee Chanwon waiting in the wings. Historically, these artists have pulled surprising comebacks—so don’t count them out just yet.
Final Stretch: Who Will Reign?
With the competition hitting the halfway mark, all eyes are on whether Hwang Youngwoong can keep his strong lead—or if someone will stage an idol-style comeback twist. The fans have the power, and August isn’t over yet.
One thing is clear: in Hallyu, fan passion isn’t just for show—it’s a vote that shapes careers.
