The first solo EP from BTS’ Jin sold more than 1 million units, a first for a single from a solo K-pop musician.

“The Astronaut” was rolled out in October and sold over 770,000 copies in its first week, a record for a solo single.

It entered Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 51 and topped its world digital song sales chart. It was No. 1 on the iTunes chart in 103 regions in total, the artist’s third solo song to achieve the feat. In UK, the EP debuted on Official Singles Chart Top 100 at No. 61, notching the highest spot for a solo song from a K-pop act.

Meanwhile, he uploaded a preview from Special 8 Photo-Folio, the band’s ongoing photobook series. He will be the next member to be featured in the series, under the theme of sea.

Seventeen sweeps Japan charts with 1st EP

Seventeen landed atop Oricon’s weekly combined album ranking with EP “Dream,” according to the tally announced on Friday.

The band’s first EP in Japan was No. 1 on its weekly album ranking, its eighth album to top the chart, replacing its own record as having the most albums to notch the top place. The album also was the chart-topper on Billboard Japan’s main albums chart and weekly albums chart.

The titular track marks the band’s upcoming dome tour in Japan that will bring the bandmates to Kyocera Dome in Osaka this weekend. On the following week, they will hit Tokyo Dome and subsequently, Nagoya Dome.

Earlier this week, Japan Record Awards announced that the band earned its special international music award. The ceremony will be broadcast live on Dec. 30.

NCT Dream to drop winter song

NCT Dream is releasing a winter special single on Dec. 16, label SM Entertainment said Friday.

The single will consist of six songs, including the band’s take on “Candy,” a hit song from H.O.T.’s first full album “We Hate All Kinds Of Violence …” that came out in 1996.

The seven-member team begins touring Japan next week, going live five times in three cities -- Nagoya, Yokohama and Fukuoka. The second day’s show in Yokohama will be broadcast live.

In February 2023, it will also put out a single to mark the tour, its second in Japan, as it did with an EP for its first. EP “The Dream” from January 2020 claimed the No. 1 spot on Oricon’s weekly album chart, and the band became first Korean musician to do so before officially making a debut in the country.

WJSN to host concert in January

Girl group WJSN will hold a fan concert in Seoul on Jan. 7-8, according to agency Starship Entertainment on Friday.

A poster for the concert “Codename: Ujung” was uploaded on the day showing the bandmates clad in black and blue turning back to look at the camera. “Ujung” is the name of the group’s official fandom community and also means “friendship” in Korean.

“We are so excited and nervous to enjoy the concert and spend good time with Ujung,” said the bandmates.

The group put out special single “Sequence” in July after winning “Queendom 2,” a competition show among female K-pop stars. It will celebrate the seventh anniversary of its debut next year.

By Hwang You-mee
(glamazon@heraldcorp.com)