Yes, he is.
Bighit has been pushing him throughout his entire career. You know how radio djs say about music? "There is no unpopular song, there is a song which doesn't get enough radio play", & it's not about hot100 even, just about promo in general, cause everything needs promo to get people's attention (unless it's some viral moment which is pure luck and doesn't depend on talent or quality of product). Same here, even the most average person will become popular if he is properly marketed and pushed to peoples faces in every release by lines, center time, screen time - it all focus people's attention on him and after it's like a snowball effect: someone who is considered popular gets token stans simply cause he is cosidered popular.