Jimin's "Like Crazy" Breaks Records as First Korean Solo Artist to Hit Billboard Hot 100 #1
BTS member Jimin made music history when "Like Crazy" became the first song by a Korean solo artist to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, selling over 254,000 copies in its first week.
Jimin's "Like Crazy" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated April 8, 2023, making him the first South Korean solo artist in the chart's 65-year history to achieve this milestone. The song sold over 254,000 combined downloads and CD singles in its first week, while generating 10 million streams and 64,000 radio airplay audience impressions.
This sales figure represented the highest single-week total of 2023 and the biggest sales week since Taylor Swift's "Anti-Hero" sold 328,000 copies in November 2022. The achievement surpassed PSY's previous record as the highest-charting Korean solo artist, who peaked at No. 2 with "Gangnam Style" in 2012.
Beyond the Hot 100 success, "Like Crazy" dominated multiple Billboard charts simultaneously. The song debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Digital Song Sales chart and World Digital Song Sales chart, while reaching No. 2 on both the Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts.
Jimin also became the first South Korean solo artist to top the Billboard Artist 100 chart, jumping from No. 10 to No. 1. His debut album "FACE" entered the Billboard 200 at No. 2 with 164,000 equivalent album units, making it the highest debut by a first charting effort since Olivia Rodrigo's "Sour" in 2021.
The global impact extended beyond the United States. In the United Kingdom, "Like Crazy" debuted at No. 8 on the Official Singles Chart, breaking the record for the highest debut by a Korean solo artist on the UK Singles Chart. The song knocked Miley Cyrus' "Flowers" off the top spot on the Hot 100.
"Like Crazy" became only the third K-pop solo song in history to spend four weeks on the Hot 100, following PSY's "Gangnam Style" and "Gentleman" from 2012-2013. The song extended its record as the longest-charting Korean solo song on the Billboard Hot 100 in the past decade during its fifth consecutive week on the chart.
"Like Crazy" is a synth-pop track produced by Pdogg and Ghstloop, with two versions recorded - one in Korean and one in English. The Korean version explores losing a loved one and clinging to an alternate reality, while the English version addresses the burden of stardom and fear of losing oneself. Both versions were written by Pdogg, Blvsh, Chris James, Ghstloop, Jimin, BTS bandmate RM, and Evan.
Following "Like Crazy," Jimin continued breaking records with his 2024 release "Who." The song became the longest-charting song by a Korean artist on the Billboard Hot 100 after spending 33 weeks on the chart, surpassing BTS' "Dynamite." "Who" emerged as Spotify's most-streamed K-pop song of 2024, while "Like Crazy" secured the eighth spot.
Remarkably, Jimin achieved these milestones while fulfilling mandatory South Korean military service. His second solo album "Muse," released in July 2024 during enlistment, won Billboard's fan-voted poll for best K-pop album of 2024 with 41% of votes.
Jimin became the first member of BTS to achieve a solo No. 1 hit and the first to reach the top 10 or even top 20 on the Hot 100 as a solo artist. Among the four solo top 40 hits by BTS members at the time, Jimin claimed two positions.
The success of "Like Crazy" opened new possibilities for Korean solo artists in the global music market, proving that K-pop's influence extends beyond group dynamics to individual artistry capable of mainstream Western chart success.
Jimin's "Like Crazy" remains a watershed moment in K-pop history, establishing new benchmarks for Korean solo artists on international charts while demonstrating the global appeal of Korean music production and artistry.
