One week after its release, K-pop supergroup BTS topped the UK Official Albums Chart with comeback album 'Arirang'. Lead single 'Swim' hit No. 1 or No. 2 on the singles chart—BTS's best position ever there—while the album also led the UK vinyl chart and topped lists in Australia and Germany.
'Arirang', the group's first full-band album in nearly four years following military service, sold almost 4 million copies on day one, according to its label. Produced under Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, the record draws on Korean heritage and shared human experiences. The title track 'Swim'—an upbeat alternative pop song about overcoming obstacles, with lyrics co-written by leader RM—saw conflicting reports on its UK singles debut: No. 1 per The Korea Times, or No. 2 behind Oliver Dean's 'Rein Me In' via Yonhap News Agency. This eclipses prior peaks at No. 3 for 'Dynamite', 'Butter', and 'My Universe'.
BTS marked the launch with a free concert at Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square on March 21, drawing tens of thousands and reaching 18.4 million Netflix live viewers worldwide, leading weekly charts in 24 countries. The septet kicks off an 82-date world tour next month.
