[Dispatch=Lee Myeong-ju Reporter] BTS swept the Japanese charts. The group claimed two titles at the Oricon first-half rankings for 2026. On the 25th, Oricon unveiled the "First Half Rankings 2026" through its official website. The counting period ran from December 8 of last year through the 7th. BTS topped a total of two categories with their regular 5th album "ARIRANG." They claimed first place in both "Album Ranking" and "Combined Album Ranking." This marks the second time BTS has reached No. 1 in the "Album Ranking." Their Japanese regular 4th album "Map of the Soul: 7 The Journey" ranked first previously. "ARIRANG" sold approximately 728,000 copies during this period. Among foreign artists, it uniquely secured the second No. 1 position overall. For "Combined Album Ranking," this is a record as the first foreign artist among K-pop musicians. BTS achieved 922,000 points. Notably, only three albums have surpassed 800,000 points on this chart, including "ARIRANG." King & Prince and Snow Man exceeded the threshold. BTS stated, "'ARIRANG' is a full group album released after 3 years and 9 months," adding "We are delighted that our album capturing who we are now is being loved." The group expressed gratitude to ARMY, their fanbase name. "We thank you for loving BTS and our music and supporting us," they conveyed. Meanwhile, "ARIRANG" made the "Best Albums of the First Half of 2026" lists selected by multiple foreign media outlets. These include Billboard, Rolling Stone, and Complex.