Jung Kook has gone two-for-two with his solo singles, as his new release “3D” has become an instant hit. The singer’s latest track debuts inside the top 10 on the Hot 100 this week, opening at No. 5. While it hasn’t quite matched the No. 1 peak of his previous tune “Seven,” it’s still an impressive starting point, and it helps him make history in a number of ways.
With another placement on the Hot 100 to his name–outside of BTS, that is–Jung Kook ties with three of his bandmates for the second-most placements of all time on the tally among South Korean solo artists. Jung Kook has now charted four solo hits on the ranking of the most-consumed songs in the U.S., and he’s now on the same level as fellow BTS stars Jimin, J-Hope, and Suga, who have also landed a quartet of smashes on the list.
Jung Kook first hit the Hot 100 as a solo act in 2022, before he technically launched his own musical career. He joined Charlie Puth on the track “Left and Right,” which quickly became a rare top 40 hit among K-pop solo musicians. Before the year was up, he returned with his own “Dreamers.” In 2023, he’s doubled that sum, with both “Seven” and “3D” spending time inside the top tier on the Hot 100.
Of the bunch of BTS stars, J-Hope was the first to reach the Hot 100 outside of the band. In 2019, he and Becky G sent “Chicken Noodle Soup” to the tally. Since then, he’s appeared on the chart with both “More” and “Arson” in 2022. This year, he returned before enlisting in the military with “On the Street” with J. Cole.
Suga has landed a solo win on the Hot 100 in each of the past four years. He started in 2020 with “Daechwita” under his Agust D alter ego. In 2021 and 2022, he hit the chart as Suga, first with Juice WRLD on the single “Girl of My Dreams” and then last year alongside Psy on his comeback track “That That.” Earlier in 2023, Agust D returned with “Haegeum.”
Impressively, Jimin has collected all four of his solo Hot 100 hits in the shortest span of time, as they’ve all reached the chart in 2023. He started his winning streak in January as a featured artist on Taeyang’s “Vibe.” The singer kept it going in April with a pair of successes, as “Set Me Free, Pt. 2” debuted inside the top 40. Just a week later, he became the first solo South Korean artist to top the Hot 100 as “Like Crazy” launched at No. 1. In June, he returned with “Angel Pt. 1” with fellow musicians Kodak Black, NLE Choppa, JVKE, and Muni Long.
Psy claims the record for the most Hot 100 appearances among South Korean solo artists. He’s currently just one hit in front of Jung Kook, Jimin, J-Hope and Suga, and he may soon be matched.
Jung Kook may soon break out of this tie, as he has a new single with The Kid Laroi and Central Cee coming later this month. Then, in early November, he’ll release his debut solo album Golden, which will likely produce at least one Hot 100 hit, if not several.
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