BTS’s 2018 track “Anpanman” just pulled off the improbable: nearly seven years and seven months after it dropped, the fan favorite has rocketed back to the top of major global charts.
Originally released in May 2018 on the group’s third studio album "Love Yourself: Tear," “Anpanman” reenters at No. 1 on Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales on the chart dated Dec. 20, per rankings published Dec. 16. It also arrives at No. 7 on Digital Song Sales.
The rebound picked up steam earlier this month, with the song hitting No. 1 on iTunes Top Songs in 75 countries and regions through Dec. 9, including the U.S., U.K., France, Italy and Mexico. On the U.K.’s Official Charts, it landed at No. 12 on the Official Singles Downloads Chart and No. 24 on the Official Singles Sales Chart in the Dec. 13 update.
Named after the red bean-filled superhero who literally breaks off pieces of his head to feed the hungry, “Anpanman” channels BTS’s everyman-hero ethos―no capes, just staying power. Its promise to stand by listeners, even without superpowers, has long resonated with ARMY, and that hope-first message hits especially hard now. With a full-group comeback slated for next spring, the song’s resurgence feels like a rallying cry from fans who’ve been waiting.
Elsewhere on Billboard’s charts, BTS members continue to post steady solo numbers. JUNGKOOK’s solo single “Seven (feat. Latto)” sits at No. 150 and JIN’s “Don’t Say You Love Me,” the title track from his second solo set "Echo," places at No. 166 on the Global 200. On Global Excl. U.S., “Don’t Say You Love Me,” “Seven (feat. Latto)” and “Who,” the title track from JIMIN’s second solo album "MUSE", rank at Nos. 79, 81 and 137, respectively. BTS’s anthology Proof is No. 9 on World Albums three years after release, while JIMIN’s "MUSE" comes in at No. 18 on the same chart.
Touring numbers tell a similar story. On Dec. 15, Billboard unveiled its Top 10 Highest-Grossing K-Pop Tours of the Year, with J-HOPE’s first solo world trek, J-HOPE Tour “HOPE ON THE STAGE,” and JIN’s first solo fan-concert series, “#RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR,” placing at No. 3 and No. 7. J-HOPE ranks highest among soloists.
According to Billboard, J-HOPE mounted 33 shows across Asia and North America, drawing more than 500,000 attendees, while JIN played 18 dates across Asia, North America and Europe for roughly 300,000 fans. Notably, the Oct. 31-Nov. 1 encore fan concerts at Incheon Munhak Stadium were not counted. The list is based on official Billboard Boxscore data from performances held worldwide between October 2024 and September 2025.
In Japan, Oricon’s 2025 Year-End Rankings, published Dec. 17 (covering Dec. 23, 2024-Dec. 15, 2025), place JIN’s second solo album "Echo" at No. 39 on the Albums chart―the highest finish among Korean soloists.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)