BTS and TWICE, the leaders of third generation K-pop idols, are reigniting the Korean wave in Japan.
According to Oricon, BTS’ Japanese album ‘FACE YOURSELF’ sold 282,000 copies within the first week of its release. This is a new record made in six years and five months; in 2011, KARA, the girl group which led the Korean wave in Japan at that time, sold 275,000 copies of the album ‘SUPER GIRL’.
BTS sets another amazing record!
BTS is writing a new record with the Japanese album ‘FACE YOURSELF’. On April 15, the album made No. 43 on ‘Billboard 200’ which is Billboard’s main album chart. It is an unprecedented happening for an album in Japanese sang by a Korean artist to be ranked on an America’s main music chart.
Among Japanese albums, it is the third record following the record of No.14 by SAKAMOTO KYU’s ‘SUKIYAKI AND OTHER JAPANESE HITS’(1963) and No.39 by BABYMETAL’s ‘METAL RESISTANCE’(2016).
TWICE’s popularity in Japan is no less. TWICE’s second single released in Japan last February, ‘CANDY POP’ was certified ‘Platinum’ by the RIAJ, or the Recording Industry Association of Japan.
It is their third platinum-certified album in a row since their Japanese debut album ‘#TWICE’ released June last year and their single ‘ONE MORE TIME’ released last October.
By Bongbong and Soohyoun Nam voomvoomk@gmail.com