Which album made BTS the first Korean act to top the US Billboard 200?

Love Yourself: Tear made BTS the first Korean act to top the US Billboard 200.

Released in 2018, Love Yourself: Tear was BTS’s third Korean-language studio album. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making BTS the first South Korean act to lead the US albums chart. The album’s main single was “Fake Love,” a darker, dramatic track connected to the group’s broader Love Yourself narrative.

The achievement marked a major change in the global visibility of Korean pop. BTS had already built a large international fan base through social media, touring, and earlier releases, but the Billboard result gave the group a landmark position in the US mainstream music industry.

Map of the Soul: 7 later became another BTS Billboard 200 number-one album, which can cause confusion about the first. The key distinction is that Love Yourself: Tear established the original Korean-act milestone in 2018.