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BTS's 'Arirang' sells nearly 4 million copies in first 24 hours of release

Published: 21 Mar. 2026, 16:00

LEE JIAN
[email protected]

A person looks at BTS's new album "Arirang" being sold at a store in central Seoul on March 20. [NEWS1]

BTS sold nearly 4 million copies of its new album "Arirang" within 24 hours of its release, BigHit announced Saturday.

Citing Hanteo Chart, Korea's music platform that tracks K-pop album sales in live time, the K-pop juggernaut has sold 3.98 million copies since "Arirang" dropped at 1 p.m. Friday. It passed the one-million mark within 10 minutes.

The album is the band's first release with all seven members in three years and nine months.

"Arirang" is now BTS's most-sold album in the first week of release, surpassing the previous record of 3.37 million copies set by the band's 2020 album, "Map of the Soul."

BTS [BIG HIT]

“Arirang” explores BTS’s identity and the emotions the members have experienced, with HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk serving as executive producer. The title track, “Swim,” expresses the mindset of persevering through life’s waves, offering a message of empathy and solidarity to everyone striving to do their best.

To celebrate its new release, BTS is set to hold a live comeback show at 8 p.m. on Saturday, which will also be aired live through Netflix.

BY LEE JIAN [[email protected]]