BTS Becomes 1st Korean Male Act To Earn RIAJ Million Certification For An Album In Japan; SEVENTEEN And TXT Go Platinum And Gold

Jul 08, 2021

BTS has just made K-pop history in Japan!

On July 9, the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) announced that BTS’s new Japanese compilation album “BTS, THE BEST” had been awarded an official million certification.

Although BTS previously received a million certification for their Japanese single “Lights/Boy With Luv” in 2019—making them the first foreign male artist ever to achieve the feat—”BTS, THE BEST” has now become the first album by a Korean male artist ever to earn a million certification from the RIAJ.

Additionally, “BTS, THE BEST” is the first album by any Korean artist to earn a million certification in 10 years. The last album by a Korean artist to achieve the feat was Girls’ Generation‘s first Japanese album “Girls’ Generation” back in 2011, a full decade ago.

“BTS, THE BEST” is also the first—and so far, only—2021 album to receive a million certification in Japan at all.

Meanwhile, SEVENTEEN’s latest Korean mini album “Your Choice” earned an official platinum certification for over 250,000 units shipped. According to the RIAJ’s certification thresholds, albums are certified gold at 100,000 units shipped, platinum at 250,000, and million at 1,000,000.