BTS' SUGA surpasses 15 million Spotify followers; becomes the 5th most-followed Korean/K-Pop soloist on the platform

On February 10, 2025, BTS' SUGA surpassed 15 million followers on his "Agust D" Spotify profile, making him the fifth most-followed Korean solo artist on the platform.

In January 2022, the idol reached 1 million followers on his "SUGA" profile, which features his collaborations and remixes. At that time, his Agust D profile had already garnered over 7 million followers.

By August 2023, the Haegeum rapper-songwriter had surpassed 3 billion streams on Spotify, becoming the most streamed Korean solo artist on the platform. This includes his solo work as both SUGA and Agust D, as well as his contributions to BTS albums.

As of January 2025, the most-followed Korean solo artists on Spotify are:

1. V (Kim Taehyung) – 19,334,491 followers
2. J-Hope – 18,145,826 followers
3. RM – 17,210,077 followers
4. Jungkook — 17,049,773 followers
5. Agust D (SUGA's alternate profile) – 15,002,446 followers
6. Jimin — 9,843,171 followers
7. Jin — 8,733,233 followers

Notably, SUGA maintains two profiles on Spotify: one under his stage name and another as Agust D. When combined, his total follower count exceeds that of his bandmates.

In addition to his solo projects, SUGA has an extensive list of collaborations with various artists. By January 2022, his collaborative tracks had collectively surpassed 500 million streams on Spotify. Notable collaborations include That That with PSY.

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BTS' SUGA's surge in chart dominance amid DUI incident in 2024; JTBC apologizes for misreporting

In September 2024, BTS' SUGA saw many of his songs reach the No. 1 position on various iTunes charts worldwide. Notably, his track The Last ascended to the top of the U.S. iTunes chart for the first time.

Despite not releasing new music recently, his existing tracks experienced a resurgence. On September 4, 2024, The Last, from his debut mixtape Agust D, reached the top of the Billboard World Digital Song Sales Chart for the first time since its release.

In addition to The Last, several other tracks from his discography climbed the charts. Songs like Snooze, Polar Night, and Haegeum re-entered the American iTunes chart. He also dominated both the Worldwide and European iTunes Song charts in September 2024.

The resurgence of the BTS idol's tracks can be attributed to support from his fans. Amid a DUI scandal, fans rallied to support him by streaming and purchasing his older tracks, propelling them to new chart heights.

On August 6, 2024, the BTS idol was apprehended in Seoul for operating a foldable electric kickboard/scooter under the influence of alcohol. According to reports, he stumbled while parking the scooter, prompting police attention.

Breathalyzer tests revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.227%, exceeding South Korea's legal limit of 0.03%. As a result, his driver's license was revoked, and he faced legal consequences.

Shortly after the incident, on August 7, 2024, JTBC's 'Newsroom' aired fake CCTV footage purportedly showing the BTS idol speeding on a scooter. This footage depicted a man riding at high speed on a main road, leading to widespread criticism and negative public perception.

However, it was later revealed that the individual in the video was not SUGA. On August 15, 2024, Dong-A Ilbo News released the original CCTV footage, which corroborated the BTS idol's account of the incident, showing him riding at a moderate speed on a sidewalk.

Following this revelation, JTBC issued a public apology on their 'Newsroom' broadcast, stating:

"Our newsroom reported about BTS member SUGA’s DUI on August 7. In the first portion of our report, we showed CCTV footage of an electric scooter passing by the main road. It was later confirmed through police investigations that the male in the video was not SUGA. We are sorry for causing confusion."

Following the incident, a complaint was filed against the BTS idol, urging the military to investigate his duty attendance during his mandatory service. However, it was determined that the incident occurred outside of his working hours, and no disciplinary action was taken.

The BTS idol underwent a three-hour police interrogation concerning the DUI. Given his cooperation and the nature of the offense, the Seoul Western District Court issued a summary judgment, imposing a fine of 15 million won (approximately $10,341.55) without proceeding to a full trial.

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Currently, the BTS idol is serving his mandatory military service. He is scheduled to be discharged in June 2025.