On March 11, 2025, the media outlet @TheePopCore reported on X that BTS has officially become the best-selling Asian artist of all time, with an astonishing 846 million album units sold globally, both in physical and digital formats. This milestone positions BTS as the tenth best-selling artist overall and the second best-selling group in history. Additionally, their studio album, Map of the Soul: 7, released in 2020, stands as the fourth highest-selling album in South Korea, being the first to surpass both four and five million registered sales.
The impressive figures shared by @TheePopCore were compiled from reputable sources including ChartMasters, Statista’s domestic sales report for South Korea, Forbes, and the Luminate Data Mid-Year Report spanning from 2022 to 2024.
Even amid military service commitments and following the release of their last group album in 2022, BTS achieved this remarkable sales record. Notably, a July 2020 report from Forbes highlighted that both BTS and The Beatles have managed to sell over a million album units in the U.S., making them extraordinary outliers in a crowded music landscape.
The announcement triggered ecstatic celebrations within the BTS fandom, prompting fans to express their excitement on social media. One user remarked:
“Now comeback is gonna be huge.”
Fans are eager to highlight that BTS’s achievements stem from their own efforts rather than external support.
“They did that with just ARMY support! No American label, no payola, no support from the industry. This is the power of BTS and ARMY!”a fan wrote.
“A one in a lifetime act, doing all these while coming from an almost bankrupted, small company from Korea and while being fully active for less than 9 years and they still didn’t hit their peak… and we are here witnessing all of that unfold,”another commented.
Despite being on a break due to military service, many fans expressed admiration for BTS’s continued ability to break records during this time.
“BTS are beyond kpop but kpopies continue denying it,”one fan said.
“FOR ASIA, MAN, WE PAVED THE WAY,”a fan remarked.
“It’s still so funny that people thought that once they went into the military we wouldn’t hear a PEEP from any of them for the next 2 years. They still broke record after record and still released tons of content. They always come through with content,”another wrote.
“And they only continue to rise!! The world isn’t ready for BTS chapter 3,”one fan added.
BTS: Chart-Topping Hits, Record Sales, and Global Achievements
In 2019, during their Love Yourself World Tour, BTS made history by becoming the first non-English-speaking and Asian act to sell out iconic venues such as Wembley Stadium in London and the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles.
They have also made significant strides in the award circuit, being the first K-pop and Asian group to take home prestigious honors from the American Music Awards (AMAs), Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs), and MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), among others.
As the only K-pop act with six singles topping the Billboard Hot 100, BTS’s impressive track list includes:
- Butter
- Dynamite
- Life Goes On
- Permission To Dance
- My Universe
- Butter (Remix featuring Megan Thee Stallion)
Awarded the Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit in 2018, BTS is recognized as the youngest recipients for their impactful contributions to the global dissemination of Korean culture and language.
Their Love Myself campaign, a collaboration with UNICEF, aims to combat violence against children and teenagers worldwide. Additionally, the group has taken the stage at the UN General Assembly to advocate for youth empowerment.
In June 2022, BTS announced a temporary hiatus from group activities to meet South Korea’s mandatory military service, with plans to reconvene in 2025. Jin was discharged in June 2024, while J-Hope followed in October 2024. Other members, including RM, SUGA, V, Jimin, and Jungkook, are expected to complete their service by June 2025.