“A masterpiece!” — Fans rejoice as Suga’s ‘Daechwita’ YouTube MV joins BTS & PSY as the only male K-Acts to reach 15M likes

On October 26, 2024, BTS member Min Yoongi aka Suga made history as his Daechwita MV surpassed 15 million likes on YouTube. He joined BTS and PSY to become the only Korean male acts to have a YouTube music video surpassing 15 million likes. This is the lead single from his second mixtape, D-2, released on May 22, 2020, under his second stage name, Agust D.

BTS' Dynamite, Permission To Dance, and Butter along with South Korean soloist and rapper PSY's Gangnam Style (2012) are some of the only Korean MVs that have surpassed 15 million likes. Currently, on PSY, BTS' Suga, and BTS hold the record in the history of the Korean music industry.

At the time of writing, Daechwita has amassed over 353 million streams on Spotify and 460 million views on YouTube. Fans rejoiced and trended multiple hashtags on X worldwide such as #Daechwita15MLikes, #AgustD, #SUGA, and #슈가. A fan hailed Daechwita as a masterpiece and wrote on X:

"Daechwita is a masterpiece! I remember being a baby army and sitting in shock for a good minute after watching the MV...it still leaves me stunned to this day"

The BTS ARMY flooded social media with congratulatory tweets, lauding the BTS idol for his latest feat.

"The music video of daechwita always be iconic!!! No one can reach that level of success." a fan wrote.

"A good day to remind everyone every scene you watch from every Agust D music videos was created by him, from the storyline to everything he wanted on it. A real artist." another fan wrote.

"Yoongi will always be famous. Always be loved & always be successful!!!" another fan added.

Others underscored that he is the first and only Hip-Hop soloist in the last decade (2014-2024) to earn this milestone.

""The FIRST and ONLY Korean Soloist .. The FIRST and ONLY Rapper/HipHop Artist THIS DECADE ... " I'm so proud of you MIN YOONGI!" one fan said.

""first and only male rapper this decade" not korean, not asian, but the first rapper EVER this decade. girl that's insane????" another fan wrote.

"Honestly, everytime I re-watch the “Daechwita” music video, I still get thrilled and fascinated by its awesomeness," another fan added.

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Daechwita — BTS' Suga's iconic track that merged Hip-Hop with traditional Korean music

BTS rapper, producer, and songwriter Suga, also known by his solo stage name Agust D, dropped Daechwita in May 2020. Released as the title track of his second solo mixtape, D-2, this song marked an innovative moment in K-pop and Korean music history, blending South Korean traditional music with contemporary hip-hop.

The word Daechwita itself refers to traditional Korean military music that accompanies a king's procession. The song opens with a bold sample of this traditional Korean genre, grounding the track with strong historical and cultural roots. In the song, he delves into themes of ambition, self-identity, and resilience, lyrically confronting his internal struggles and experiences in the music industry.

Suga then adds his intense rap verses over the traditional beat, skillfully blending trap beats, 808 bass, and taepyeongso (a traditional Korean oboe) to create an anthem that bridges Korea’s cultural heritage and modern music trends.

The accompanying music video drew attention with its historical yet rebellious visuals, where Suga plays both a king and a commoner in a storyline that features sword fighting and vivid references to historical Korean aesthetics. This dual portrayal symbolizes Suga’s battle between his public image and his authentic self, a sentiment that has resonated deeply with fans worldwide.

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In other news, BTS' Min Yoongi aka Suga enlisted in the military for an alternative service of 21 months on September 22, 2023. He will return on June 21, 2025, to resume his music activities with his band.