BTS has firmly established their position in the global music scene with countless musical achievements, unprecedented records, and numerous prestigious awards over more than a decade of performing. Every song and every stage they present has become legendary in the hearts of fans worldwide. Therefore, when it comes to reaching #1 on iTunes, it is perhaps not too surprising that it is BTS.
However, this time there is soмєтнing truly remarkable: the group has been on hiatus as a “full lineup” for nearly three years — and their official comeback is not expected until early next year — yet one of their songs, even one released seven years ago, has suddenly surged to #1 on the global iTunes chart. This reflects BTS living up to the saying, “form is temporary, clαѕѕ is permanent,” and demonstrates the enduring strength of the ARMY fandom.
Specifically, the song that caused a stir on social media on December 8th this month is the B-side “Anpanman,” from BTS’ 2018 album Love Yourself 轉 'Tear'.According to reports, “Anpanman” has reached #1 on the Worldwide iTunes Songs chart and #1 on multiple iTunes charts in countries including the United States, Europe, and the UK in recent hours. This is also the first time the song has ever climbed to the top spot since its release.
Another noteworthy point is that with “Anpanman” reaching #1 on the UK iTunes Chart, BTS became the only K-pop group to chart a song at #1 on the UK iTunes Top Songs Chart in 2025, even though they had no promotion for the song or any group activities this year.
The resurgence of “Anpanman” after seven years is part of a global ARMY campaign to send a strong message of support to BTS ahead of their full-lineup comeback next year.
The song tells the story of a hero made out of bread, who cuts parts of himself to feed starving children, caring more about loving them than loving himself. In one part, BTS sings, “even if it takes up all my strength, I’ll be sure I’ll always stay by your side.” Fans around the world are now singing “Anpanman” in response, affirming that ARMY will forever keep the promise of supporting BTS.
In particular, the song carries a deeply encouraging message in the context of BTS being targeted by harsh, unreasonable criticism and widespread malicious rumors on social media. At the same time, the fandom faced significant internal tension, as some toxic fans, particularly certain K-ARMYs, threatened to leave the fandom out of frustration that BTS had not released any group content in 2025, feeling pressure that the idols “owe soмєтнing to the domestic fans.”
Just two days before “Anpanman” reached the top spot, RM held a live broadcast in which he could not hide his emotions under the pressure of “Many people are asking, ‘Why did you guys throw late 2025 away?’” He even admitted: “I’ve thought tens of thousands of times, ‘Should we disband or quit on the team?’” But he quickly clarified: “The reason we’ve kept the group together until now is the love between members, and so much love and respect for you guys,” leaving fans deeply moved.
Beyond bringing “Anpanman” back to global trending, fans also carried out various campaigns to send messages of love to the idols, including heartfelt letters from ARMY worldwide and heart-hand gestures accompanied by sweet notes.
The period leading up to BTS’ comeback has always been the most tense time, as fans are fully aware that alongside the excitement and anticipation, there are many negative forces trying to diminish the group’s influence or even sabotage the success of this important event. This is precisely the crucial moment for the global ARMY to unite their unparalleled strength, to protect and stand by BTS — just as they have done and continue to do.
