“Bruno Mars sent me a DM”... Korean fan says they gave him an LP as a gift after Bruno offered to buy it directly

[Financial News] A story about pop star Bruno Mars personally contacting a Korean music content creator to ask to buy a rare LP has drawn attention.
On the 20th, Korean music curator John Hwang posted a screenshot of their conversation on Threads, along with a post saying, “Bruno Mars sent me a direct message (DM) saying he wanted to buy my LP.”
According to Hwang, Bruno Mars sent him a message that day from his official Instagram account: “I’ll buy that Milestone record.”
In response to Hwang’s reply, “Of course. I’m a little shocked right now,” Bruno Mars tapped an emoji conveying tears of laughter, then asked, “How much?”
Hwang replied, “I’ll give it to you as a gift. Send me your shipping address and I’ll send it tomorrow,” and the deal was sealed.
Hwang later revealed the story behind the deal, saying, “I traded the LP for concert tickets.” He said he planned to send it by next-day delivery so it would reach Bruno Mars as quickly as possible.
Hwang was contacted by Bruno Mars thanks to a short-form video he had made and posted himself. Earlier, Hwang had posted a one-minute video introducing the R&B group Milestone, formed for the soundtrack of the 1997 film Soul Food.
It was confirmed that Bruno Mars had messaged Hwang directly to buy the 12-inch LP he featured in the video.
In an interview with this publication on the 21st, Hwang said, “It’s meaningful because I feel like this confirmed that I’m on the right path,” adding, “I definitely want to tell [Bruno Mars] thank you for making it possible for me to have this experience.”
The sight of a global pop star reaching out through his personal social media as if making a secondhand deal prompted online users to comment, “It looks like Bruno Mars is making a deal on Karrot Market with a Korean,” “I never thought I’d live to see a pop star make a direct deal on social media,” and “Even after the deal is done, never leave the chat—keep it forever for generations of your family.”

[email protected] Seong Min-seo Reporter