BTS ‘Arirang’ Nears 4 Million Copies Sold on Day One, Becomes a Million-Seller in 10 Minutes [BTS Comeback]

[Financial News] After returning for the first time in three years and nine months, BTS swept to the top of both album and digital charts, signaling the return of the kings of K-pop.
According to Hanteo Chart on the 21st, BTS’s fifth full-length album “Arirang” sold 3.98 million copies on its first day, debuting at No. 1 on the daily chart. The album surpassed 1 million copies sold in about 10 minutes after its release at 1 p.m. on the 20th, proving an explosive response.


BTS’s previous record for highest first-week sales (one week after release) was 3.37 million copies with their fourth full-length album “Map of the Soul: 7,” released in February 2020. “Arirang” broke that personal record on release day alone, with sales far exceeding that figure. With several days still left in the first-week tracking period, attention is focused on the new history the group is poised to write. The new album also reached No. 1 on Apple’s iTunes Top Albums chart in 88 countries and regions worldwide, including Italy, Mexico, and the Kingdom of Sweden, confirming its global popularity.
Digital performance is equally strong. As of 9 a.m. on the 21st, the title track “Swim” had reached No. 1 on Apple’s iTunes Top Songs chart in 90 countries and regions, including the United States of America (US), Japan, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK), Germany, and France.
The domestic digital charts, where rankings had barely budged in recent months, also saw a major shake-up. “Swim” shot straight to No. 1 on the real-time charts of Melon and Bugs. On Melon in particular, every track on the album entered the real-time Melon Top 100 chart. “Swim” held the No. 1 spot from 2 p.m. on the 20th until midnight on the 21st, and as of 10 a.m. on the 21st it was still at the top. The B-side track “Body to Body” ranked No. 2 on the Melon Top 100 at 10 a.m. on the 21st, right behind “Swim.”
The music video for “Swim” is also drawing a heated response. The video has reached No. 1 on the trending music rankings in 70 countries and regions, including the US, the UK, Mexico, and France. “Body to Body” is garnering major attention as well, charting high in multiple countries and regions with just its official audio video.
Released at 1 p.m. on the 20th, “Arirang” is an album that explores BTS’s identity and the universal emotions they face. Bang Si-hyuk served as the overall producer.
The title track “Swim” is an upbeat alternative pop song. Its lyrics describe a determination to keep swimming forward through the waves of life without stopping. Rather than fighting against the currents that come crashing in, the song expresses a will to move through them calmly at one’s own pace, framing that attitude as a form of “love for life.”
The opening track “Body to Body” is an anthem in which BTS declares their intention to enjoy the moment together with the audience at their concerts.

jashin@fnnews.com Shin Jin-ah Reporter