How did KATSEYE reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with Wild?

Wild debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 170,000 equivalent album units. Billboard said 145,000 of those units came from album sales, and the EP beat Phoebe Bridgers’ Lost Weekend and Stray Kids’ This & That.

Why is KATSEYE’s Billboard 200 victory significant for the group?

It is the first time KATSEYE has reached No. 1 on the chart since debuting in 2024. The group was formed through HYBE’s U.S. partnership with Geffen Records, and the win makes it the fourth K-pop girl group to lead the chart since 2020.

What else did KATSEYE’s Wild achieve on overseas charts and who worked on it?

The EP had earlier become KATSEYE’s highest-charting release in Britain by debuting at No. 2 on the Official Albums Chart Top 100. HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, Ed Sheeran, Omer Fedi and Blake Slatkin were among those who took part in its creation.

KATSEYE scores its first No. 1 on Billboard 200

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Summary

U.S.-based K-pop girl group KATSEYE has debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 with its third EP, Wild, for the first time. Billboard said the album earned 170,000 equivalent album units, including 145,000 in album sales. The group, formed through HYBE’s U.S. partnership with Geffen Records, became the fourth K-pop girl group to top the chart since 2020. Wild was released on Aug. 14 and also debuted at No. 2 on Britain’s Official Albums Chart.

Key Facts

Billboard said Wild topped the Billboard 200 with 170,000 equivalent album units, including 145,000 album sales.
The EP outpaced Phoebe Bridgers’ Lost Weekend and Stray Kids’ This & That.
KATSEYE was formed through HYBE’s U.S. partnership with Geffen Records and debuted in 2024.
Wild was released on Aug. 14 and reached No. 2 on Britain’s Official Albums Chart.
KATSEYE became the fourth K-pop girl group to top the Billboard 200 since 2020, after BLACKPINK, NewJeans and TWICE.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 24, 2026 7:10 am KST
Updated Aug 24, 2026 7:53 am KST

The latest album of U.S.-based K-pop girl group KATSEYE has debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard's main albums chart for the first time.

Billboard said in a preview of this week's chart on Sunday (U.S. time) that Katseye's third EP, "Wild," took the top spot on the Billboard 200 with 170,000 equivalent album units, outpacing Phoebe Bridgers' "Lost Weekend" and Stray Kids' "This & That."

It marks the first time KATSEYE has reached No. 1 on the chart since the group debuted in 2024 through HYBE's U.S. partnership with Geffen Records.

KATSEYE is the fourth K-pop girl group to top the Billboard 200 since 2020, following BLACKPINK with "Born Pink" in 2022, NewJeans with "Get Up" in 2023 and TWICE with "With You-th" in 2024.

The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States, measured by equivalent album units comprising physical and digital sales, as well as streaming and digital track downloads converted into album sales.

Of the 170,000 units earned by "Wild," album sales accounted for 145,000, according to Billboard.

Released on Aug. 14, "Wild" explores accepting every facet of one's inner self while pursuing instinct and freedom.

HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, British pop star Ed Sheeran, and producers Omer Fedi and Blake Slatkin were among those who took part in the album's creation.

The EP had earlier become KATSEYE's highest-charting release in Britain, debuting at No. 2 on the Official Albums Chart Top 100 released Friday (local time).

KATSEYE was formed through "The Debut: Dream Academy," a survival program jointly launched by HYBE and Universal Music Group's Geffen Records. The group made its U.S. debut in 2024 and has released hit songs, including "Gnarly" and "Gabriela," earning a best new artist nomination at this year's Grammy Awards.

Before KATSEYE, BLACKPINK, NewJeans, TWICE, BTS, SuperM, Stray Kids, Ateez and Tomorrow X Together had reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 among K-pop acts, while the original soundtrack album for Netflix's global hit animation "KPop Demon Hunters" also led the chart.

Meanwhile, Stray Kids' "This & That" fell two places from the previous week to No. 3 with 82,000 equivalent album units.

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