MUSIC
BTS's 'Anpanman' Climbs to the Top of Global Charts After 7 Years
Originally featured on BTS's third studio album 'LOVE YOURSELF 轉 'Tear' released in May 2018, 'Anpanman' has re-entered the Billboard 'World Digital Song Sales' chart at number one as of December 16. The track has also topped the iTunes 'Top Songs' chart in 75 countries/regions, sparking a worldwide resurgence.
Inspired by the Japanese manga character 'Anpanman', the song embodies BTS's message of sacrifice and solidarity, despite lacking superpowers. The lyrics, "Even if I use all my strength / I will be by your side / I may fall again but trust me, I'm a hero," convey a message of comfort and unity, reflecting the long-awaited support and dedication of their fans, ARMY, according to the agency.
Meanwhile, BTS members' solo tracks continue to enjoy long-term success on Billboard. Jungkook's solo single 'Seven (feat. Latto)' is maintaining its momentum at 150 on the Billboard Global 200 chart, while Jin's solo second album title track 'Don't Say You Love Me' stands at 166. Jimin's solo second album title track 'Who' has secured positions at 79, 81, and 137 on the global chart. Additionally, BTS's anthology album 'Proof' remains popular, ranking 9th on the 'World Albums' chart.
The members' solo tours have also achieved significant success. J-Hope's first solo world tour 'j-hope Tour 'HOPE ON THE STAGE'' ranked 3rd in the 'Top 10 K-pop Tours of 2025', and Jin's first solo fan concert ranked 7th. J-Hope performed 33 shows across Asia and North America, attracting approximately 500,000 attendees, while Jin drew about 300,000 fans with 18 performances. These achievements are based on official data from Billboard Boxscore.
Furthermore, according to Japan's Oricon 'Annual Ranking 2025', Jin's solo second album 'Echo' achieved the highest rank for a Korean solo artist, placing 39th in the 'Album Ranking'.
Choi Ji-ye, Ten Asia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr
