By Shim Sun-ah
Global sensation BTS has achieved a remarkable milestone, securing their seventh No. 1 debut on both the Billboard 200 albums chart and the Hot 100 singles chart. This follows their No. 1 debut on the British Official Albums Chart Top 100 and No. 2 on the Official Singles Chart Top 100, solidifying their international dominance.
Among Korean artists, only BTS, along with members Jimin and Jungkook individually, have previously topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Notably, the track “Golden” from the “KPop Demon Hunters” soundtrack also achieved this feat, highlighting K-pop’s overall impact.
This dual triumph marks BTS’s first simultaneous No. 1s on both charts in six years, since the release of “Be” in 2020. Industry insiders predict that all 14 tracks from their new album, “Arirang,” will make their debut on the Hot 100 chart this week, not just the lead single.
Every achievement by BTS since their 2013 debut as “underdog idols” from a small label continues to reshape K-pop history.
As the first K-pop act to top the Billboard 200 with “Love Yourself: Tear” in 2018, they have since accumulated seven No. 1 albums: “Love Yourself: Answer” (2018), “Map of the Soul: Persona” (2019), “Map of the Soul: 7” (2020), “Be” (2020), “Proof” (2022) and “Arirang” (2026).
On the singles chart, the group secured K-pop’s first No. 1 with “Dynamite” in 2020, followed by “Savage Love” (2020), “Life Goes On” (2020), “Butter” (2021), “Permission to Dance” (2021), “My Universe” (2021) and now “Swim,” the lead track from “Arirang.” “Life Goes On” remains the only predominantly Korean-language song to reach the top of the Hot 100, while “Butter” held the No. 1 position for an impressive 10 weeks.
BTS boasts three No. 1 albums, including “Arirang,” on the British Official Albums Chart Top 100, further solidifying their global reach.
Fuelled by the universal appeal of their music, the group has consistently won at the Billboard Music Awards for six consecutive years and the American Music Awards for five, including the prestigious Artist of the Year honor in 2021 — a historic first for a K-pop group. BTS has also received Grammy nominations for three consecutive years.
This comeback is particularly significant given the recent adjustments to Billboard’s chart methodology, which some industry experts believe can disadvantage fan-driven acts, particularly those in K-pop.
In 2022, Billboard reduced the number of eligible weekly downloads per person from four to one. The following year, they excluded digital single sales from direct-to-consumer websites from their chart calculations.
Furthermore, this year Billboard ceased including YouTube data in its Hot 100 and Billboard 200 rankings for the first time in 13 years, following a dispute between the two companies. This change is widely considered to negatively impact K-pop artists, whose music videos consistently generate hundreds of millions of views.
Despite taking a break for military service and facing a shifting landscape that seemed to work against them, BTS has defied the odds and topped the charts.
A key factor in their sustained success is their dedicated global fanbase, known as ARMY.
Their collective power translates into streams, purchases, and social engagement strong enough to overcome challenges such as limited radio presence, a traditional weakness for K-pop acts.
While the exact size of BTS’s global fandom is difficult to determine, it is widely recognized as one of the largest not only in K-pop but in the entire world.
The group’s Weverse fan community boasts approximately 34.1 million members, and their official Instagram account has nearly 80 million followers — significantly exceeding South Korea’s population.
