Group KATSEYE's third EP, "WILD," has claimed the number one spot on the US Billboard main album chart, the Billboard 200. This achievement comes approximately two years after their debut.

Billboard previewed on August 23 (local time) that "WILD" will debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart dated August 29. Released on August 14, "WILD" recorded 170,000 equivalent album units in the United States during the tracking period of August 14 to 20. Billboard noted this as "the biggest weekly sales week for a girl group since the methodology shifted to album-equivalent sales in December 2015."

Having debuted in the US in August 2024, KATSEYE was formed through HYBE's global audition project "The Debut: Dream Academy," with the final members chosen by fan votes. Unlike traditional K-pop export models that begin activities in South Korea before expanding overseas, KATSEYE is cited as a successful example of HYBE's "multi-home, multi-genre" strategy yielding results in the local market.

Since their debut, KATSEYE has successively placed "Gnarly," "Gabriela," "Internet Girl," "PINKY UP," and "Animal" on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned a nomination for Best New Artist at the 68th Grammy Awards. They also won three categories, including New Artist of the Year, at the 2026 American Music Awards.

Their second EP, "BEAUTIFUL CHAOS," peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and has remained on the chart for 59 consecutive weeks as of the August 22 chart. Along with topping the US chart, "WILD" also reached number one in the Netherlands and Belgium, while charting at number two in the UK and France, number three in Ireland, and number four in Germany.

KATSEYE will carry the momentum from the release of "WILD" into "THE WILDWORLD TOUR," kicking off in Dublin, Ireland on September 1.

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)