INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA – NOVEMBER 28: (G)I-DLE is seen leaving Incheon International Airport on … [+]
South Korean girl group (G)I-dle is having a great week on the Billboard charts. The band’s first English single “I Do” has made a splash on the Pop Airplay ranking, which focuses on the tunes that reach the largest audience at pop radio in the U.S. The tally is known to be very competitive, but that didn’t stop the group from scoring another hit. Now, thanks to this latest debut, they join an elite collective of some of the most successful K-pop acts in the world.
“I Do” opens at No. 39 on the 40-spot Pop Airplay chart, narrowly breaking onto the tally. The song marks their second appearance on the list, and with another win to their credit, (G)I-dle becomes just the fifth name in K-pop to appear on the list more than once.
Leading the way among all South Korean musical acts when it comes to the most placements on the Pop Airplay chart is, unsurprisingly, BTS. The band is far and away the most popular and successful name hailing from the Asian nation to hit America, and their record at radio proves that. The septet, now on a temporary hiatus, has accrued nine appearances on the tally–three times as many as their closest competitors in this regard.
Two other K-pop stars are tied for the second-most hits on the Pop Airplay chart when looking only at South Korean stars. BTS member Jung Kook and boy band Monsta X have both scored a trio of wins. Jung Kook has recently been adding up his hits in rapid succession, and he’s currently present on the tally with his single “Seven.”
Two girl groups come next, tied with one another for the fourth-most placements on the Pop Airplay chart. Blackpink was the first female act from South Korea to collect more than one hit on the tally, as they managed a second placement just last year. Now, (G)I-dle matches them, and either group could be next to add a third radio smash to their discography.
(G)I-dle first reached the Pop Airplay chart just about a year ago. In October 2022, their single “Nxde” broke onto the tally and went on to peak at No. 38 on the tally. It would only spend two weeks on the chart, but that was enough to help them make history. Now, they’re looking to propel “I Do” up the ranking in the coming weeks, as it previews an English EP coming this fall.
