[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] K-pop groups continue to dominate the top spot on the U.S. Billboard 200, the main album chart. So far this year alone, four groups—BTS, ATEEZ, Stray Kids, and Cat's Eye—have successively claimed the top spot. Since BTS first reached No. 1 in 2018, the range of artists reaching the top has steadily diversified, leading to assessments that K-pop’s influence in the U.S. album market is growing.

The most recent act to top the chart is Cat’s Eye, a multinational girl group formed through a joint venture between HYBE and Geffen Records in the U.S. According to the latest chart released by Billboard on the 23rd (local time), Cat’s Eye’s third mini-album, *WILD*, reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with album units equivalent to 170,000 copies. This marks the first time Cats Eye has topped this chart since their debut in 2024.
The Billboard 200 is a chart that ranks the most popular albums in the United States over a single week. It ranks albums based on “album units,” which are calculated by combining album sales (including physical and digital albums), streaming equivalents (SEA)—a metric that converts streaming counts into album sales—and digital track equivalents (TEA)—a metric that converts digital track downloads into album sales. “Wild” recorded 145,000 album sales during the tracking period and reached the top spot by adding 24,500 SEA and 500 TEA. Cat’s Eye proved its upward momentum by surpassing its previous highest ranking on the Billboard 200, which was No. 4.
With Cat’s Eye joining the ranks, the total number of K-pop albums to top the Billboard 200 this year has reached four. In March, BTS claimed the No. 1 spot with “ARIRANG,” and last month, ATEEZ reached the top with “GOLDEN HOUR: Part 5.” This month, Stray Kids reached No. 1 with “THIS & THAT,” and just one week later, CAT’S EYE took over the top spot.

◇Strength on the Album Charts Continues… Fanbase Support Is the Driving Force
K-pop first reached the top of the Billboard 200 in 2018. BTS made history that year by placing “LOVE YOURSELF 轉 Tear” and “LOVE YOURSELF 結 Answer” at No. 1 in succession.
Since then, the number of K-pop artists reaching the top of the Billboard 200 has steadily increased. Starting with SuperM, Stray Kids, BLACKPINK, Tomorrow X Together, NewJeans, ATEEZ, and TWICE have all taken the top spot in turn. In addition, the soundtrack album for the Netflix animated series *K-Pop Demon Hunters* reached No. 1 last year, and this year, *Cat’s Eye* joined the ranks.
Including Cat’s Eye’s “Wild,” a total of 26 K-pop-related albums have reached the top of the Billboard 200. Cat’s Eye’s No. 1 ranking is particularly significant as it marks the first time a group—formed under the K-pop production system and having launched its career in the U.S.—has topped the Billboard 200.
A unique consumer culture rooted in a highly loyal fanbase is cited as the reason behind the consistent strength of K-pop albums on the Billboard 200.
Pop music critic Lim Hee-yoon said in a phone interview with Edaily on the 25th, "These days, it’s rare for consumers to purchase physical albums or stream an entire album, but K-pop fanbases have a strong tendency to actively support their favorite artists and contribute to their success," he said. "It appears that this characteristic, which leads to album purchases and streaming, is influencing the strong performance of K-pop albums on the Billboard 200."

It remains to be seen whether this year will go down in history as the year with the most K-pop albums to top the Billboard 200. The all-time record is five albums, set in 2023. That year, Tomorrow X Together achieved the first K-pop No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with *The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION*, and Stray Kids topped the chart with *5-STAR* and *樂-STAR*. NewJeans’ “Get Up” and ATEEZ’s “THE WORLD EP. FIN: WILL” also reached No. 1.
As early as next week, the performance of new releases by ENHYPEN and NCT 127 is expected to be reflected on the Billboard 200. Both groups have previously reached as high as No. 2 and No. 3 on this chart, respectively. If one of these groups reaches the top spot, it will create a remarkable scene where K-pop albums claim the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 for three consecutive weeks, following the new releases by Stray Kids and CAT’S EYE.
Critic Lim commented, “The fact that K-pop continues to achieve significant results in the U.S. music market is clearly meaningful,” adding, “The fact that the top spot is being taken in turn by various groups—rather than being concentrated on just one or two—can be seen as evidence of K-pop’s enduring popularity.”