BTS surpasses 40 million physical album sales as top-selling artist in South Korea; SEVENTEEN follows

Despite BTS members being enlisted, their impact reigns as they surpass 40 million physical album sales, setting a historic record in K-pop. Following the septet are SEVENTEEN and Stray Kids. Read on!

By Saumya Saxena

Published on Feb 02, 2024 | 09:35 PM IST | 894.6K

BTS; Image Courtesy: BIGHIT MUSIC

Despite BTS members being enlisted in the military, they continue to shatter records and achieve remarkable milestones in the K-Pop industry. Surpassing 40 million physical album sales, BTS maintains an unparalleled impact, with over 820,000 sales in 2023 and 102,000 in 2024.

BTS continues to dominate album sales in South Korea despite military enlistment

BTS continues to defy expectations and set unparalleled records in the K-Pop industry, even with all members currently fulfilling military duties. Surpassing 40 million physical album sales, BTS achieved over 820,000 sales in 2023 and has already surpassed 102,000 copies in 2024, marking a staggering milestone. Despite their last full-length studio album, BE, released over three years ago in November 2020, BTS maintains a consistent stream of album sales.

In a breakdown of their album sales, BTS' accomplishment is contextualized, highlighting the sales figures by album and year. Notably, the group's strategic release of multiple album versions contributes to their success, emphasizing that BTS, while never exceeding four versions per album, successfully reached the 40 million mark.

Currently, SEVENTEEN follows as the second-best-selling K-Pop artist with around 33 million albums sold, while Stray Kids ranks third with approximately 21 million albums sold. Even amidst military enlistment, BTS continues to set the bar high, demonstrating their enduring global impact and cementing their legacy as one of the most influential acts in the industry.

BTS K-drama Youth trailer resurfaces ahead of its 2024 release

The highly anticipated K-drama, Begins Youth, inspired by BTS' iconic storyline, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Trilogy, unveiled its full official trailer on February 2, 2024. Initially announced years ago by HYBE’s founder Bang Si Hyuk, the drama, originally titled YOUTH, was postponed from its 2020 release to November 2023. With the internet resurfacing the official trailer, fans are buzzing with excitement.

Set against the themes of rumour, interest, poverty, memory, and violence, the trailer delves into the individual struggles of characters inspired by BTS members. The narrative, featuring elements of time-traveling friendship, intertwines with BTS' iconic music videos, creating a rich and emotional storyline. The cast, including Seo Ji Hoon, Ahn Jo Ho, Seo Young Joo, Kim Yoon Woo, Jung Woo Jin, Jeon Jin Seo, and Ro Jong Hyun, embodies characters named after BTS' webtoon 7Fates: CHAKHO.

Originally anticipated for a 2023 release, the drama's final date remains unannounced, heightening the anticipation for this immersive exploration of BTS' fictional universe.

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