Jimin, a member of the K-pop supergroup BTS, has become the first South Korean solo artist to reach the top of the US songs list, according to Billboard.
The single “Like Crazy” debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 this week, dethroning Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” which had held the top position for eight weeks.
“Jimin is the first South Korean soloist to score a No. 1 hit on the #Hot100, thanks to ‘Like Crazy,'” Billboard tweeted.
The song is the 66th to debut at the top of the Hot 100 list, which goes back to 1958 and combines all-genre US streaming, radio play, and sales data, according to the industry tracker.
“Face” hit Billboard’s main albums chart at No. 2, making it the highest-charting album by a South Korean solo musician and beating fellow BTS member RM’s “Indigo,” which reached No. 3 in December, industry outlets reported.
BTS is widely regarded as South Korea’s biggest cultural phenomenon, selling out stadiums around the world and dominating the charts while raking in billions for the country’s economy and establishing a worldwide legion of followers known as ARMYs.
However, owing to South Korea’s mandatory military service, the K-pop juggernaut announced a hiatus last year.
All able-bodied males in South Korea are required to serve in the military for at least 18 months, and after a years-long argument over whether BTS deserved an exemption, Jin, the group’s oldest member, enlisted last year.
Before the break, BTS had six No. 1 hits on the Hot 100, and all seven members of the boyband had solo hits on the list of the top songs, according to Billboard.
Prior to BTS’s dominance, South Korean rapper Psy’s worldwide hit “Gangnam Style” peaked at No. 2 on Billboard in 2012.
