[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen hits Billboard 200 at No. 5 with best-of album

(Credit: Pledis Entertainment)

Seventeen claimed the No. 5 spot on the Billboard 200 with its best-of album, according to the chart preview posted Sunday in the US.

Expectations were high for the album “17 Is Right Here” as the main track “Maestro” debuted on its Global 200 and Global excl. the US charts at No. 91 and No. 40, respectively, in less than four days after release.

The lead single topped the iTunes Top Songs chart in 32 regions and the album landed atop Oricon’s weekly and weekly combined album rankings, extending its record on both charts as the international artist to spend most weeks atop them at 12.

The 33-track album sold over 2 million copies on the day of release and 2.96 million in the first week.

Meanwhile, the 13 members will go live in Osaka this weekend and in Kanagawa the following week for their stadium tour in Japan.

BTS’ RM tops iTunes chart in 82 regions with solo pre-release

(Credit: Big Hit Music)

RM of BTS' solo single “Come Back To Me” topped the iTunes Top Songs chart in 82 regions, according to label Big Hit Music on Monday.

The indie pop tune was unveiled Friday in advance of the full release of his second solo EP “Right Place, Wrong Person.” The album consists of 11 tracks, all of which RM co-wrote the lyrics for, and is due out on May 24.

As many as five music videos were made for the album and will be uploaded one by one until June 10, according to the timeline.

The pre-release was accompanied by a music video directed by Lee Sungjin, of the Netflix drama “Beef” which has won a series of awards including one for Best Limited Series at the 2023 Emmy Awards. Starring opposite the artist was actress Kim Minha of “Pachinko” fame.

BTS’ J-Hope surpasses 400m views with ‘Chicken Noodle Soup’ music video

(Credit: Big Hit Music)

J-Hope of BTS amassed 400 million views on YouTube with the music video for his solo hit “Chicken Noodle Soup,” according to the label Big Hit Music on Monday.

It is his first music video as a solo act to reach the milestone.

“Chicken Noodle Soup (feat. Becky G)” came out in September 2019 and was his first solo song to enter Billboard’s Hot 100, debuting on the main singles chart at No. 81. It also was his first solo single to top the iTunes Top Songs chart in 100 regions and ranked No. 82 on UK’s Official singles chart top 100.

Separately, his special solo album from March “Hope On The Street Vo. 1” debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 5, a record for the artist. This also made him the first K-pop solo singer to have two consecutive albums among the top 10 on the chart.

Twice’s Nayeon to return as solo act

(Credit: JYP Entertainment)

Nayeon of Twice will bring out her second solo EP on June 14, label JYP Entertainment announced Monday.

The upcoming mini album is titled “Na,” which means “Me” in Korean and also is part of her real name Im Nayeon.

The mini album comes two years after she, as the first member of Twice to put out solo music, set multiple records with her first EP “I Am Nayeon.” The EP hit the Billboard 200 at No. 7, a record for a K-pop solo act at the time, and along with the focus track “Pop!,” made 18 Billboard charts combined. It was No. 1 on the iTunes Top Albums chart in 20 regions as well.

In the meantime, the group will drop its fifth studio album in Japan “Dive” on July 17.

By Hwang You-mee(glamazon@heraldcorp.com)