K-pop boyband BTS hit No. 1 in 73 countries

BTS released their new album on Monday. PHOTO: EPA-EFE/YONHAP

SEOUL • South Korean boyband BTS' latest album, Love Yourself Seung Her, topped the iTunes charts in 73 countries, a record for a K-pop act.

The group's agency Big Hit Entertainment said on Tuesday that the EP ranked first on the iTunes album charts in countries including the United States, Britain, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Japan, Spain, Poland, Brazil and Indonesia as of 8am.

The album's lead single, DNA, has also landed on the iTunes song charts in 29 countries, including Sweden, Hungary, Norway, Brazil and Thailand.

The single debuted at No. 4 on the iTunes song chart in the US, a new high. In February, BTS' Spring Day was No. 8 on the chart.

The band released their new album on Monday, with the ambitious goal of having a song make it to Billboard's Hot 100 single chart in the US.

"People always say that their goal is to make it to Billboard 100. But to make the list, we have to sell a lot of records and our song has to be aired on radio a lot, and that's not easy. This makes us wonder, 'Is it possible?", said band member Suga during a press conference in Seoul.

"But since radio shows in the US are introducing us and are playing our songs often, we thought that maybe it's possible."

Band leader Rap Monster said: "Before our debut, our goal was to perform at Gymnastic Stadium in Olympic Park, but now we aim to leave a permanent footprint in the K-pop scene by debuting high on Billboard 100 just like Psy."

BTS' last album, You Never Walk Alone, was released in February, a follow-up to the 2016 record Wings. Both made it to the Billboard 200 album chart.

KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 21, 2017, with the headline K-pop boyband BTS hit No. 1 in 73 countries. Subscribe