BTS ARIRANG LP: Jung Version Runs Out Quickly in Europe and North America, Demonstrating Global Popularity

Sales of individual LPs (vinyl records) for each member of BTS’s fifth studio album, “ARIRANG,” are currently underway following its release. The LP version featuring Jung ran out first on Fnac, France’s largest music platform, and on Webber Street in the United States, confirming its high popularity across Europe and North America.

Sales of individual LPs for each member of “ARIRANG” started simultaneously. On the 15th, it was confirmed that the group version (“Rooted in Korea Version”) CD and LP of “ARIRANG,” along with the individual LPs for two members, had sold out. Jung was the first member among them to see his LP run out. Fnac, being the largest music and cultural merchandise sales platform in France as well as one of the largest in Europe, saw Jung’s LP sell out there first, which serves as an example of his influence in the European market. Earlier, Jung’s individual LP for the fifth studio album “ARIRANG” also sold out quickly on Webber Street in the United States.

Jung’s global influence is evident in Hallyu statistics as well. According to a survey on the status of Hallyu abroad released in 2023 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in collaboration with the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE), Jung ranked fifth among singers/groups in France and was the only BTS member to appear on the list. This indicates that among BTS members, only Jung holds a high profile individually in France.

In July 2024, Jung served as a torchbearer for the Paris Summer Olympics. Paris Match, France’s largest weekly magazine, featured Jung as the only foreigner among the 31 stars who carried the Olympic torch, describing him as “the true prince who ascended 235 years after the French Revolution.” In another article, Paris Match referred to Jung as “Europe’s darling” and mentioned that he is the global ambassador for GUCCI in Italy.

As both the Visual King and Vocal King, Jung has excelled not only in his solo albums, solo fanmeeting concerts on a world tour, and other main activities but also in advertising and variety shows. He continues to receive high expectations from fans around the world regarding BTS’s new album activities, and the rapid sell-out of “ARIRANG” LPs is an indicator that his global appeal remains strong.