Jung Kook makes UK chart history with Seven featuring Latto

BTS star Jung Kook makes UK chart history today, as he claims the highest solo Official Singles Chart debut for a Korean act ever with Seven featuring Latto.

With Jung Kook's (born Jeon Jung-kook) Seven debuting at Number 3 today, he surpasses the first week positions of BTS bandmates j-hope and Jimin's recent solo efforts.

In March of this year, Jimin broke his own record as Like Crazy debuted at Number 8 on the Official Singles Chart. Earlier that month, Jimin's Set Me Free Pt. 2 had become the highest-charting solo BTS track (Number 30); eclipsing j-hope's previous best with J. Cole collaboration On The Street (Number 37).

This also means Jung Kook now matches BTS's biggest Singles Chart debuts (and peaks) so far; the group having debuted at Number 3 with 2020's Dynamite, plus 2021 releases Butter and My Universe with Coldplay.

To date, the highest-charting solo single by a Korean act belongs to Psy's Gangnam Style. Released in the UK in September 2012, the song actually debuted at Number 61 in this country, before climbing to Number 1 in its fourth week on chart.

The track went on to spend 55 weeks on the chart, with its last appearance in 2014.

Jimin's new chart feat further illustrates the increasing popularity of K-pop in the UK. Earlier this year, new act FIFTY FIFTY claimed the first-ever Official Singles Chart Top 10 for a Korean girl group with Cupid.

A Number 8 hit for Saena, Aran, Keena and Sio, Cupid debuted at Number 96 in April before climbing to its peak.

Korean acts are seeing great success on the Official Albums Chart, too.

Earlier this year, K-pop boy band ATEEZ claimed their first-ever UK Top 10 album with The World EP.2: OUTLAW (10), following the success of BLACKPINK's 2022 LP BORN PINK; the first chart-topping K-pop album in UK chart history.