Historic first-day sales to chart-topping debut: BTS V's record-breaking achievements
Kim Taehyung, aka V, is a multifaceted K-pop artist who has captivated audiences with his prowess in singing, dancing, rapping, songwriting, and acting. Since his debut with BTS in 2013, V has become one of the fastest Korean soloists to amass 14M Spotify followers. Even during his current military enlistment, ARMYs continue to celebrate his exceptional achievements. Here, we also highlight his record-breaking accomplishments.
Highest first-day sales record by a solo album
V made a spectacular solo debut with his album Layover, released on September 8, 2023. The first day saw an astounding 1.6M copies sold—a historic feat acknowledged by Hanteo Chart (South Korea's music sales tracker). With this, he became the third soloist in the history of Hanteo to achieve the highest first-day sales in any solo album, joining fellow BTS members Jimin and Suga.
8 weeks on Billboard 200: History scripted by V
In December, V's debut solo album, Layover, made a notable return to the Billboard 200 chart. It originally secured the No. 2 spot in September. Three months later, Layover reappeared at No. 176, establishing V as the first Korean solo artist to chart for an impressive eight weeks, surpassing the previous record held by BTS member RM for his studio album Indigo.
Wait, what? 1M views in just seven minutes!
V dropped the enchanting solo track Love Me Again alongside a mesmerizing music video on August 9. With soulful R&B vibes, V's mellifluous voice takes center stage, expressing the yearning for lost love. Within a mere seven minutes of its release, the MV crossed 1M views on YouTube. This achievement cemented V's position as the fastest K-pop male soloist to reach this milestone.
Guinness World Record holder
After making his Instagram debut in December 2021, V became the fastest individual on the platform to reach 1M, then 10M followers—Guinness World Record noted. He now reportedly holds the title of the fastest Instagrammer to hit 60M followers, achieving this feat in just 515 days. V's profile showcases candid moments and his passion for art, with every post garnering at least 10M likes.
