Agust D is the most streamed Asian artist amid DUI controversy as ARMYs rally behind BTS’ SUGA

BTS' SUGA, under his Agust D alias, has taken over global music charts, becoming the most streamed Asian artist worldwide on digital platforms. 

This surge in support comes as ARMYs rally behind him amidst his ongoing DUI case. Nearly a month of unwavering support has seen SUGA’s tracks like "Snooze" and "Nevermind" trend online, propelling his music back onto the charts.

Following his first appearance for investigation on August 23, SUGA's track "Polar Night" reached #1 on the Worldwide iTunes Song chart, marking its first time at the top a year after its release. Throughout the night, all the songs from Agust D's D-DAY album started charting on Worldwide iTunes, with tracks like "Snooze," "Haegeum," and "The Last" re-entering the charts.

Remarkably, Agust D became the only artist with five songs topping the iTunes Country Charts worldwide, including "Haegeum," "Polar Night," "Snooze," "The Last," and "People." By the morning of August 24, "The Last," originally released in 2016, reached #1 on U.S. iTunes for the first time, over eight years after its debut. Now, Agust D's tracks hold the #1 position on iTunes in 58 countries, with "Polar Night" leading in 40 of them.

With this achievement, SUGA joins fellow BTS members Jimin, Jungkook, and V as the only K-pop artists to reach #1 on U.S. iTunes in 2024, showcasing the overwhelming support from ARMYs during this challenging period.

For those unfamiliar, SUGA’s DUI incident occurred on August 6 in Hannam-dong, Seoul, where he reportedly tripped on the pavement while riding an electric scooter after drinks with friends, leading to police involvement. His blood alcohol level was reportedly 0.227%, well above the legal limit of 0.08%, drawing legal scrutiny. The situation was complicated by conflicting media reports, with a major Korean outlet later apologizing for misreporting after CCTV footage clarified the events. Upon the news breaking on August 7, both BTS' agency BIGHIT MUSIC and SUGA issued sincere apologies, reflecting on the idol's mistake.