Continues to Soar in Popularity Despite Military Hiatus, Proving Their Irreplaceable Influence
BTS has been sweeping major global charts with their solo activities in the first half of this year.
Jimin’s solo second album ‘MUSE,’ released on the 19th, has its title track ‘Who’ hitting number one on iTunes ‘Top Songs’ chart in 112 countries/regions by 9 AM on the 20th. The song entered Spotify’s ‘Daily Top Songs Global’ chart at 3rd place on the 19th, maintaining a high position at 4th place the following day. It also held the top spot on Korea’s ‘Daily Top Songs’ for two consecutive days (July 19 and 20) and climbed four spots to 14th on the US ‘Daily Top Songs’ compared to the previous day. All of this was achieved without any official broadcast activities.
The continuous stream of content is also a key to their rising popularity. RM and Jimin prepared the new album review video ‘Exchange Album MMM (Mini & Moni Music).’ This video deeply covered the album production process, their approach to music, and future plans, receiving praise from many fans. RM also created music videos for nearly half of the 11 tracks on his second solo album, truly bombarding with content. V pre-planned reaction videos for his music video ‘FRI(END)S’ to make it more enjoyable for fans. J-Hope released a documentary along with his new album. Additionally, the members held pop-ups tailored to each album’s characteristics, providing various experiences for fans.
The documentaries and pop-ups received a great response for offering new ways to enjoy their new songs. BTS’s pop-ups are not just places to buy official merchandise and watch videos. They created an enjoyable space with themed scents sprayed on each floor, and participatory programs like dance workshops to learn the choreography of new songs. J-Hope integrated his message into music (album), video (documentary), and space (pop-up), allowing fans to experience and enjoy the album’s message through various channels.
Lastly, the delicate care of the members, making fans feel ‘always together,’ played a significant role. V released the sweet confession song ‘FRI(END)S’ matching the pink spring season, and Jungkook presented a fan song during the ‘2024 FESTA,’ commemorating the team’s debut date (June 13).
BTS’s solo albums, based on thorough planning, preparation, and care for their fans, dominated the charts. RM, V, and J-Hope set new personal records in the UK Official Albums Chart, Spotify’s ‘Daily Top Songs Global,’ Billboard 200 in the US, and the UK Official Singles Chart. Jungkook’s ‘Never Let Go’ entered the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Official Singles Chart, breaking his own record for the most chart entries by a K-pop solo artist. Older songs also maintained their popularity. Suga’s ‘D-DAY,’ released under his alias Agust D in April last year, re-entered the Billboard 200 with its LP release, and Jin’s self-composed song ‘Super Tuna,’ released in 2021, topped the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart upon his military discharge.
Thus, BTS continues to prove their irreplaceable presence with successive solo successes. The remarkable achievements during their inactive period increase the anticipation for the moment they regroup as a whole. There is great interest in the future activities of the members, who have grown through their solo albums.
