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On May 9, 2025, X id @TheePopCore reported that BTS' SUGA, also known by his solo alias Agust D's chart-topping song Haegeum reached more than 1 million streams within a single day. Released two years ago, in 2023, as part of his D-DAY album, the song's popularity saw a surge on music streaming platforms, much to the thrill of fans around the globe.
The feat follows as the artist, whose real name is Min Yoon-gi, is approaching the final days of his mandatory military service. With 43 days remaining until he comes back, fans are revisiting his solo discography, possibly resulting in Haegeum trending across various streaming platforms.
The streaming numbers of the song became a reason for fans to take to social media, voicing their admiration and pride for the rapper and the track.
Trending
"THAT'S KING AGUST D. KEEP STREAMING," one fan expressed.
"It's wonderful song Composed, produced and performed by my one n true King," mentioned one netizen.
"CONGRATULATIONS TO SUGA and not to mention if I could I'd give him the cold shoulder for being in his hibernation with no updates at all for 2 years?!?" posted an X user.
"Idk what's going in but he's definitely got new people checking his discography so please Armys let's add Haegeum to our playlists ... let's do our part," wrote another fan.
"Haegeum getting 1M streams two days in around in a normal day, i don't know who sacrificed something for this but thank you," read comment from one fan.
As Haegeum surpassed the 1 million daily streams milestone, supporters remained steadfast in support of SUGA on X to return Haegeum to the Spotify charts. Their goal was to achieve a rare moment where all seven BTS members charted globally as soloists.
"If we try hard enough we can re enter str and haegeum on spotify charts and have 7/7 members for the first time charting in global spotify. we are so close," mentioned this fan on X.
"Y'all haegeum is increasing in streams and crossed 1 million mark. can we please re enter both haegeum and stop the rain then all the members will simultaneously chart," said one netizen.
"Listening to great music by Agust D | SUGA is a daily necessity," shared an individual on X.
"Man didn't make a peep infront his fans and they way we missed him clearly shows. Can't believe he will be home in just 43 days now. This is end of our war, this is definitely Haegeum," added this fan.
BTS SUGA aka Agust D’s Haegeum blends traditional sounds with modern themes
Agust D, aka SUGA of BTS, dropped Haegeum on April 21, 2023, as the second single from his debut studio album D-Day. Haegeum combines powerful lyricism with classical Korean instruments.
It combines traditional Korean instruments, the haegeum, a two-stringed fiddle, with aggressive hip hop. Aside from its musical origins, the title also has a double meaning, representing both the instrument and the process of removing a ban. This echoes the song's theme of freedom from internal and external limitations.
The track features the actual haegeum—the instrument—as part of its soundscapes, similar to Agust D's previous single, Daechwita. However, in this track, the instrument also represents cultural and psychological limitations.
Lyrically, Haegeum provokes the notion of freedom in the contemporary era. Through the track, Agust D urges listeners to call out the things that confine them—whether it's capitalism, bigotry, hate, prejudice, or the suffocating din of internet culture. In Korean, he queries, "What is it, exactly, that's been holding us back?" implying that society's intangible shackles are frequently self-inflicted.
He decimates how the digital sphere represses free thinking and creativity, yet perpetuates polarization and disinformation. The song is a critique of the irony of expression in today's world. Agust D wonders if the "freedom of expression" of the digital age is really freeing or merely a different kind of oppression, commenting, "Could you still call that freedom?" when individual freedom at times can be at the expense of someone else's.
Visually, the Haegeum music video is dense with symbolism. A recurring motif features red chopsticks—tools used both for eating and killing—emphasizing the thin line between survival and destruction. The narrative interweaves imagery reminiscent of Daechwita, including the poetic assassination of a mob boss turned monarch, symbolizing the end of tyranny. A crucial scene shows a face without scars emerging from the water, a contrast to the violence just shown.
Upon release, the song struck a chord worldwide. In Japan, it entered at number three on Oricon's daily Digital Singles Chart and reached the seventh position on the weekly chart. It also peaked at seventh on Billboard Japan's Download Songs and climbed from number 81 to 66 on the Japan Hot 100.
In America, Haegeum reached 32,000 copies and 4.6 million streams in its first week and peaked at number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was Agust D's first top-10 appearance on the Hot Rap Songs chart at number nine and his fourth number-one on Rap Digital Song Sales.
Internationally, it peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Global 200 and number 12 on the Global Excl. US chart, with further appearances in the Hits of the World charts in South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines.
Min Yoon-gi is set to complete his military service on June 21, 2025, following the discharge of his four fellow BTS members—RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—earlier that month.
