On the 8th, Big Hit Music cited data from the latest global charts, including the UK Official Charts and Spotify, announcing a new record for BTS’s longest charting run, along with impressive achievements across the board for the group’s fifth studio album, ARIRANG. During the week of August 7–13, ARIRANG rose to No. 43 on the Official Albums Chart Top 100, officially breaking the previous record of 19 weeks set by BTS’s sixth mini album, MAP OF THE SOUL : PERSONA, in 2019, and setting a new milestone for the group with 20 consecutive weeks on the chart.
Meanwhile, BTS is currently carrying out their “BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’”, spanning a total of 34 cities and 88 shows, making it the largest solo tour ever undertaken by a кσяєαn artist or group. BTS kicked off the second leg of their North αмєяι¢αn tour in East Rutherford, US, on August 1–2 (local time) and recently wrapped up successful shows in Foxborough. The group will next move to M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on August 10–11 to keep the tour momentum going. This will also mark the first time a кσяєαn artist has held a solo concert at the stadium.
As the second leg of the North αмєяι¢αn tour continues, Bangtan TV recently uploaded a sketch video compiling memorable moments from “BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’ IN NORTH AMERICA” Part 1. Notably, SUGA υиєχρє¢тє∂ly brought up an experience that still seems to haunt him from the group’s time on tour in the US.
Specifically, SUGA was seen sitting backstage and having a meal while telling the members and staff around him about his experience tackling the hills in San Francisco. Clearly pαѕѕionate as he recalled the experience, he said, “The San Francisco route was pretty brutal. There's a continuous uphill stretch for about 2 kilometers.” RM seemed to know exactly what he was referring to and added, “The very one everyone was worried about.” SUGA agreed and continued, “Wow, once I did that…”
SUGA then recounted the experience that left him completely stunned: “There are about three hills. So you think, ‘It'll be over once I reach the top.’ But every time you climb one, there's another one you can't see from below.” The rapper even described his helplessness as the hills seemed to have no end, exclaiming, “What? Why won't it end?” He admitted that perhaps the reason was because he was used to running on flat ground, making the series of steep hills in San Francisco a challenge he never saw coming.
Interestingly, if fans paid close attention, SUGA had already looked back on this experience in an earlier personal vlog filmed in late July, when he went running with Jungkook and his manager ahead of the Busan concert. While talking about his goal of improving his 10K record, SUGA recalled the San Francisco hills. “I can barely remember the San Francisco hills or how we managed to climb them. It was absolute hell. We couldn't see it and then another one appeared suddenly,” SUGA told his manager.
However, he also explained the reason behind his sudden experiment with a new training мєтнod: “To improve your 10K record you just have to keep running uphill. That's why I've been adding hills to my runs lately. And it definitely makes such a huge difference.”
What started as an experience that made SUGA wonder, “Why won't it end?”, eventually became part of his endurance training journey. Perhaps his “uphill trauma” is not so terrifying after all, considering that SUGA has turned the very challenge that once pushed him to his limits into motivation to break through his own boundaries. Still, fans could not help but marvel at SUGA’s energy and pαѕѕion for running:
- SF hills will really test your soul! So proud of Yoongi for pushing his limits to get a better 10K time, he's so disciplined!
- My little running enthusiast is so adorable. San Francisco hills are not joking
- Yoongi is seriously so pαѕѕionate about running. I love how dedicated he is to improving himself!
- Yoongi really said, “Those hills traumatized me, so now I’m going to run even more hills"
- The fact that he remembers those San Francisco hills so vividly. They really left a mark on him
- From complaining about those endless hills to adding more hills to his training...You can tell Yoongi genuinely loves running
- His pαѕѕion and dedication to running are incredible. You can really see how much he loves challenging himself.
- Yoongi’s discipline and pαѕѕion are on another level. He never gives up, even when things get tough
- It’s so inspiring to see how seriously Yoongi takes soмєтнing he’s pαѕѕionate about
