September Showdown: Fans Keep Hwang Youngwoong at the Top
Hwang Youngwoong’s smooth vocals and heartfelt ballad ‘Knitted Sweater’ have done it again. With a whopping 79,426 votes (28.2%), he claimed the top spot in the September 2025 Netizen Awards for Best Album — for the second month in a row. Needless to say, this isn’t just good luck. It’s a full-on show of force by his unwavering fanbase.
Rising Rivals Add Tension
Right behind him, Jung Seojoo took second with her touching track ‘A Handwritten Letter’, reeling in 45,384 votes (16.1%). She’s closing in fast, creating a thrilling two-way race in the trot scene. Meanwhile, Son Bina’s ‘Irony’ surged into third place with 20,900 votes (7.4%), proving she’s a serious contender and not just a one-hit wonder.
Mid-Tier Battles: Diverse Sounds Take Center Stage
Fourth place went to Son Taejin with ‘SHINE’ (19,162 votes), showing his loyal fandom hasn’t gone anywhere. Myjin landed fifth with ‘Love Recall’, followed by Binyeseo’s ‘First Story: Memories’ and Jang Minho’s poetic EP ‘Essay ep.3.’
Enoch brought in an international flair at eighth place with his Japanese-Korean crossover song ‘Kimi wa bara yori Utsukushii’ (translated as ‘You Are More Beautiful Than a Rose’), amassing 11,775 votes (4.2%).
Close Call: 9th–11th Place Too Tight to Call
Beating the buzzer by just 306 votes, Park Jihyun’s emotional ballad ‘Melt Away’ squeezed into ninth. Right behind was Liberante’s ‘Cuore Infinito’, with Hong Isaac’s dreamy K-drama OST ‘Unknown Seoul Part.4’ just barely missing the cut for the top 10.
Steady Streamers: Middle & Low Rankings Still Matter
Rounding out the list, acts like Eclipse (‘Shower’), Park Changgeun (‘Collection 25’), and teenage trot star Jeong Dongwon (‘Easy Lover’) held their ground. Legends like Cho Yongpil also proved their staying power, ranking 18th with ’20’.
Even fuzzy outliers like K-pop Demon Hunters’ ‘Golden’ grabbed a mention — reminder: the list may be long, but every vote tells a story.
The Bigger Picture: Not Just Charts, But Heart
This month was a showdown between consistency, surprise contenders, and genre mosaics. From traditional trot to crossover ballads, the rankings painted a rich portrait of fandom power and musical diversity. As for next month — can Hwang Youngwoong keep the crown, or is a new chart storm brewing?
“Thank you for waiting in silence and believing in me without wavering,” Hwang told fans recently. “Now it’s my turn to protect you.”
With that kind of devotion, it’s clear this trot sensation isn’t dropping the mic anytime soon.
