On September 4, The Last by Agust D, the solo persona of BTS' SUGA, achieved a notable milestone by topping the Billboard World Digital Song Sales Chart for the first time since its release eight years ago.
This resurgence in popularity comes amidst a turbulent period for the artist, following a recent DUI incident that occurred on August 6. SUGA, who was returning home after an evening out with friends during his military break, fell from his electric scooter in front of his residence’s parking in Hannam Dong, Seoul.
In these challenging times, ARMYs have rallied in unprecedented numbers, driving a remarkable rebound in SUGA's music. Earlier in August, the artist's solo alter ego, Agust D, saw his albums D-DAY, D-2, and his self-titled debut make significant gains on the Worldwide iTunes Album Chart. On August 23, following SUGA's interrogation related to the incident, his track Polar Night from the Agust D album soared to #1 on the Worldwide iTunes Song Chart, marking its first appearance at the top since its release.
The support from fans has been overwhelming, with all tracks from D-DAY, including Snooze, Haegeum, and The Last, re-entering the charts. This surge in popularity also led to Agust D becoming the only artist to have five songs simultaneously reach #1 on the iTunes Country Charts worldwide by the morning of August 24. Among these, The Last notably reached #1 on the U.S. iTunes Chart for the first time.
Meanwhile, both SUGA and his agency, BIGHIT MUSIC, have issued heartfelt apologies addressing the incident. On August 25, SUGA penned another sincere letter of apology on Weverse, acknowledging his mistakes and expressing deep regret. In addition to fan support, notable figures such as K-pop producer EL CAPITXN, PSY, actress Park Sohee, The Rose's Woosung, Pachinko writer Lee Min Jin and Mui Sakamoto, the daughter of the late composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, have shown solidarity.
As the investigation progresses, SUGA's case has been forwarded to the prosecutor. Despite the challenging circumstances, the outpouring of support from fans and industry peers highlights the impact of SUGA’s music and the strong bond between him, his colleagues, and his audience.
"THE LAST" by Agust D has reached #1 on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales Chart for the first time 8 yrs after its release!
— Carolyne🌱⁷⁼¹ (@mhereonlyforbts) September 4, 2024
CONGRATULATIONS AGUST D
CONGRATULATIONS SUGA
WE LOVE YOU YOONGI #BesideSUGA #SUGA #AgustD #슈가 pic.twitter.com/gVBom5BERk
"D-Day", "D-2", "Agust D" Albums by #AgustD are Charting inside Top 5 of Worldwide iTunes Album Chart!
— Bangtan_streamers⁷ (@Bangtan7_Stream) August 25, 2024
- #AgustD becomes the FIRST and ONLY Asian Soloist in HISTORY to chart Most Albums (3) simultaneously inside Top 5 of the Chart.
CONGRATULATIONS AGUST D
CONGRATULATIONS SUGA… pic.twitter.com/yyko4BhrM7
Celebrities who directly or indirectly shown their support for SUGA 💜
— paula⁷ (@sugatheartist) August 29, 2024
- El Capitxn
- Lee Min Jin (author of Pachinko)
- Park Sohee
- Alicia Hannah-Kim
- Miu Sakamoto
- PSY
- Lea Salonga
- Epik High playing Spring Day at their concert
- Woosung playing Snooze during The Rose… pic.twitter.com/rSACK8xyHS