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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 03: Baekhyun of K-pop supergroup SuperM attends a press conference … [+]
The vast majority of musicians are lucky to become successful under just one name. A very few are able to segue from winning with a group to doing the same on their own. Almost nobody can score massive hits and chart albums on their own and with more than one band, but one of the most beloved artists in South Korea has done just that, and it seems he’s only becoming bigger and bigger with every new project he drops.
Baekhyun has now released immensely successful EPs, albums and singles as a member of K-pop bands EXO and SuperM, but it’s his latest venture on his own that is making headlines this week.
The multi-talented figure’s new solo EP Bamibi hasn’t just become a big hit on the South Korean Hanteo charts, it’s one of the bestsellers of all time. In just its first week of availability, the short set sold an incredible 868,840 copies. That’s enough to break the all-time record for the fastest-selling release by a solo artist in the history of the chart.
The South Korean music industry focuses on two major chart systems, unlike, say, the U.S., which relies entirely on Billboard. The Gaon charts show how many copies of a title have been shipped to stores, while the Hanteo lists look at actual purchases by individuals.
Bambi is Baekhyun’s fourth EP on his own, and his second of the year, when also including a Japanese release. The project features six tracks and it leans into an R&B style, which fans clearly love. This week, the title track opens at No. 10 on the World Digital Song Sales chart in the U.S., giving the musician yet another placement inside the highest tier. The EP itself arrives at No. 15 on the World Albums list in America, proving people everywhere enjoyed the set.
As a member of both EXO and SuperM, Baekhyun has delivered more than his fair share of music before. The former boy band dropped at least four EPs, seven albums and plenty of singles, live recordings and re-releases, with more titles reaching No. 1 on various Korean charts than not. As one of the seven singers in SuperM, a K-pop supergroup composed of members of a handful of already-successful acts, Baekhyun has now taken part in a full-length and an EP, both of which were globally successful.
After all those wins, is it any wonder he was the one to make history with such an enormous debut?
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