ATEEZ’s new EP, GOLDEN HOUR: Part.5, puts K-pop back in a familiar spot — No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart. The EP is the 24th album or EP by a K-pop act to reach No. 1 on Billboard‘s flagship albums chart in just over than eight years. The first was BTS’ Love Yourself: Tear in June 2018.
It’s the first K-pop project to reach No. 1 since the Recording Academy announced on June 16 that it is adding a new category, best Asian pop music performance, for the 69th annual Grammy Awards, set for Feb. 7. The new category sits in the Pop & Dance/Electronic Field. Eligible recordings include contemporary popular music originating from or widely recognized within Asian markets, including K-pop, J-pop and C-pop.
ATEEZ is an eight-member boy band formed by KQ Entertainment. Since their October 2018 debut, they have grown into a global touring and Billboard chart powerhouse. In addition to their three No. 1s on the Billboard 200, they have had three No. 2s, two No. 3s and a No. 7, for a total of nine top 10 albums or EPs.
Stray Kids has amassed eight No. 1 titles on the Billboard 200, which puts them out front among K-pop acts. BTS is a close second, with seven No. 1 titles. ATEEZ is next in line with three No. 1s. SuperM, BLACKPINK, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, NewJeans and TWICE have all notched one No. 1 to date.
BLACKPINK was the first female K-pop act to land a No. 1 album on the Billboard 200. They scored with Born Pink in 2022.
K-pop groups tend to be large ensembles. TWICE has nine members, one more than Stray Kids and ATEEZ. BTS and SuperM each have seven members. TOMORROW X TOGETHER and NewJeans each have five members. BLACKPINK has four members. To date, no K-pop solo artists, duos or trios have topped the Billboard 200.
There have been multiple No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 by K-pop acts in every year since 2018 except for 2021, when there were none. The peak year (to date) for most No. 1 K-pop albums on the Billboard 200 was 2023, when there were five. Here’s a list of all K-pop albums to top the Billboard 200. They are listed in chronological order.
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BTS, Love Yourself: Tear
Image Credit: JTBC PLUS/Imazins via Getty Images Date Hit No. 1: June 2, 2018
Single: “Fake Love”
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BTS, Love Yourself: Answer
Date Hit No. 1: September 8, 2018
Single: “Idol”
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BTS, Map of the Soul: PERSONA
Date Hit No. 1: April 27, 2019
Singles: “Boy with Luv,” “Make It Right”
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SuperM, SuperM: The First Mini Album EP
Date Hit No. 1: October 19, 2019
Single: “Jopping”
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BTS, MAP OF THE SOUL: 7
Date Hit No. 1: March 7, 2020
Singles: “Black Swan,” “On”
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BTS, BE
Date Hit No. 1: Dec. 5, 2020
Single: “Life Goes On”
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Stray Kids, Stray Kids Mini Album: Oddinary (EP)
Image Credit: The Chosunilbo JNS/Imazins via Getty Images Date Hit No. 1: April 2, 2022
Single: “Maniac”
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BTS, Proof
Date Hit No. 1: June 25, 2022
Single: “Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)”
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BLACKPINK, Born Pink
Image Credit: Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images for MTV/Paramount Global Date Hit No. 1: Oct. 1, 2022
Singles: “Pink Venom,” “Shut Down”
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Stray Kids, Maxident
Date Hit No. 1: Oct. 22, 2022
Single: “Case 143”
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TOMORROW X TOGETHER, The Name Chapter: Temptation (EP)
Date Hit No. 1: Feb. 11, 2023
Single: “Sugar Rush Ride”
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Stray Kids, 5-Star
Date Hit No. 1: June 17, 2023
Single: “S-Class”
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NewJeans, 2nd EP ‘Get Up’
Image Credit: The Chosunilbo JNS/Imazins via Getty Images Date Hit No. 1: Aug. 5, 2023
Singles: “Super Shy,” “Cool With You,” “ETA”
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Stray Kids, ROCK-STAR
Date Hit No. 1: Nov. 25, 2023
Single: “Lalalala”
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ATEEZ, THE WORLD EP. FIN:WILL
Image Credit: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images Date Hit No. 1: Dec. 16, 2023
Single: “Crazy Form”
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TWICE, With YOU-th (EP)
Date Hit No. 1: March 9, 2024
Singles: “I Got You,” “One Spark”
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Stray Kids, ATE (EP)
Date Hit No. 1: Aug. 3, 2024
Single: “Chk Chk Boom”
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ATEEZ, Golden Hour: Part.2 (EP)
Date Hit No. 1: Nov. 30, 2024
Single: “Ice on My Teeth”
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Stray Kids, Hop
Date Hit No. 1: Dec. 28, 2024
Single: “Walkin on Water”
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Stray Kids, KARMA
Date Hit No. 1: Sept. 6, 2025
Single: “Ceremony”
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Various Artists, KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack
Date Hit No. 1: Sept. 20, 2025
Singles: “Takedown” (Twice version), “Golden” and “How It’s Done” (HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna & REI AMI)
Notes: The album returned to No. 1 in the issue dated Oct. 11, making it the first K-pop album to log two or more weeks at No. 1.
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Stray Kids, DO IT
Date Hit No. 1: Dec. 6, 2025
Singles: “Do It,” “Divine”
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BTS, ARIRANG
Date Hit No. 1: April 4, 2026
Single: “Swim”
Notes: The album held at No. 1 on the chart dated April 11, becoming the first K-pop album to spend two consecutive weeks on top. It held at No. 1 again on the chart dated April 18, becoming the first K-pop album to spend three or more weeks on top.
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ATEEZ, GOLDEN HOUR: Part.5
Date Hit No. 1: July 11, 2026
Single: “Bad”
