Seoul: 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 announced in a preview of this week's chart that Katseye's third EP, "Wild," secured the top position on the Billboard 200 with 170,000 equivalent album units, surpassing Phoebe Bridgers' "Lost Weekend" and Stray Kids' "This and That."
According to Yonhap News Agency, this achievement 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 joins the ranks of other K-pop girl groups who have topped the Billboard 200 since 2020, including 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.
"Wild" was released on August 14 and explores themes of embracing one's inner self while pursuing instinct and freedom. Notable contributors to the album's creation include Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, British pop star Ed Sheeran, and producers Omer Fedi and Blake Slatkin.
The EP had earlier become Katseye's highest-charting release in Britain, debuting at No. 2 on the Official Albums Chart Top 100. 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 such as "Gnarly" and "Gabriela," earning a best new artist nomination at this year's Grammy Awards.
Prior to Katseye's success, other K-pop acts like BLACKPINK, NewJeans, TWICE, BTS, SuperM, Stray Kids, Ateez, and Tomorrow X Together had also reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Additionally, the original soundtrack album for Netflix's global hit animation "KPop Demon Hunters" had previously led the chart.
Meanwhile, Stray Kids' "This and That" fell two places from the previous week to No. 3 with 82,000 equivalent album units.