BTS Jimin becomes first K-pop soloist to top Billboard Hot 100

 BTS Jimin becomes first K-pop soloist to top Billboard Hot 100

Posted : 2023-04-04 06:17

Updated : 2023-04-05 13:13

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BTS' member Jimin / Courtesy of Big Hit Music

Jimin, a member of the K-pop superstar BTS, has made history with his single "Like Crazy" reaching the summit of the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, becoming the first South Korean solo artist to top the list.

"Jimin's "Like Crazy" blasts in at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, marking his first leader ― and the first for a member of superstar South Korean pop group BTS. He is also the first South Korean solo artist to lead the list," Billboard said Monday (U.S. local time) on social media.

Previously, BTS was the only K-pop act to top the chart.

The group has six top-charting songs, from "Dynamite" (2020) to "My Universe" (2021), a collaboration single with British rock band Coldplay.

He also became the first K-pop artist to have sat atop the chart both as a soloist and with a group.

Among K-pop soloists, Psy was the highest-charting artist before Jimin, with his global hit "Gangnam Style" staying at No. 2 for seven consecutive weeks in 2012.

Jimin of K-pop supergroup BTS/ Courtesy of Big Hit Music

"Like Crazy" sold 254,000 song downloads and CD singles combined, and drew 10 million streams and 64,000 radio airplay audience impressions in the first week of its release, according to Billboard.

The Hot 100 ranks the most popular songs of the week in the United States, measured by all-genre streaming, radio airplay and sales data.

"The sales sum for "Like Crazy" is the highest in a single week since Taylor Swift's "Anti-Hero" sold 328,000 (Nov. 19, 2022), sparked by seven remixes released that tracking week," it said.

"Like Crazy" also debuted at No. 1 on the digital single sales chart, where it is Jimin's third song to achieve the feat.

The song was released March 24 on his debut solo album "Face," which grabbed the No. 2 spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

It is a synth-pop song combining intense synth and drum sounds with his mournful timbre.

Jimin has said the song was inspired by a film of the same name that he likes.

It features the emotions of the moment when he wants to turn a blind eye to reality and stay in his dreams forever to forget hurtful memories.

On Saturday, the piece debuted at No. 8 on the British Official Singles Chart Top 100. The British Official Chart is considered one of the world's two largest charts, along with the U.S. Billboard.

BTS' member Jimin / Courtesy of Big Hit Music

Jimin said he feels both "unreal" and "proud and happy" after winning his first Billboard No. 1 as a solo artist, attributing the success to the group.

"It feels so unreal that I don't know what to say," he said on Weverse, a K-pop fan community platform. "It's all thanks to BTS and ARMY (the group's fandom) that this was possible. I'm never unaware of this. I've come to realize more about how much you ARMYs have waited for BTS. I'm grateful and thank you," he said humbly. "I'm so proud to be a part of the team."

His bandmates called him or took to the platform to leave messages of congratulations.

"I'm proud of you," team leader RM was quoted as saying in his phone conversation with Jimin.

"You're so cool and I'm proud of you. I'm welling up," J-Hope wrote on Weverse.

Suga also left a message, saying, "It's great that Park Jimin is an artist sitting atop the Billboard Hot 100."

BigHit Music, the band's agency, said on the band's official Twitter page that the feat is "unbelievable" and thanked ARMYs around the world for supporting the song. (Yonhap)