KATSEYE's Third EP 'WILD': Number One on the Billboard 200, Four Songs on the Hot 100
KATSEYE's third EP WILD went to number one on the Billboard 200 chart dated 29 August 2026. It opened with 170,000 units, and four of the group's songs landed on the Billboard Hot 100 the same week. It is the group's first number one on the chart. Here is what the record is.
What happened
KATSEYE’s third EP WILD went to number one on the Billboard 200, Billboard’s main albums chart. Kyunghyang Shinmun, citing the chart preview Billboard posted on 23 August 2026, reported that the album, released on 14 August, would enter the chart dated 29 August at number one. It is the group’s first number one on the chart since its debut.
The first week came to 170,000 units. According to Newsis, 145,000 of those were physical copies, 24,500 were streaming equivalent albums and about 500 were track equivalent albums. Billboard said of the figure that it was “the highest weekly result by a female group since December 2015, when the chart moved to counting album equivalent sales”, Kyunghyang Shinmun reported.
Four songs landed on the singles chart the same week. According to the Korea JoongAng Daily, the pre-release track ‘Animal’ rose six places to number 24 and the title track ‘Hootie Frutti’ entered at number 31, while ‘Pinky Up’ sat at number 81. ‘Iconic By Mistake’, the single made with LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT, both under HYBE as well, was at number 94.
Why is it trending?
The artist chart moved in the same week. Star News reported that KATSEYE rose 27 places from number 28 to number one on the Billboard Artist 100. The same outlet noted that the earlier album BEAUTIFUL CHAOS stood at number 92 on the Billboard 200 in its 60th consecutive week there, and that the debut EP SIS (Soft Is Strong) climbed to number 156.
Through HYBE-Geffen Records the members said the number one belongs to their fans, and thanked them for the trust and support they showed in listening to the music. According to the same outlet, THE WILDWORLD TOUR opens on 1 September in Dublin, Ireland.
What you need to know
- KATSEYE was formed by HYBE and Geffen Records and debuted on 28 June 2024, through the audition programme The Debut: Dream Academy.
- The members page on the official site lists six members: Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia and Yoonchae.
- The third EP WILD was released on 14 August 2026, with ‘Hootie Frutti’ as the title track.
- The number one on the Billboard 200 is the chart dated 29 August, and the first week came to 170,000 units.
- Four songs sat on the Billboard Hot 100 the same week.
- The music video is on YouTube’s HYBE LABELS channel. K-Culture Radar links to the official upload rather than re-hosting it.
- THE WILDWORLD TOUR opens on 1 September 2026 in Dublin, Ireland.
Profiles
Groups
KATSEYE캣츠아이
KATSEYE are a six-member girl group on HYBE x Geffen Records — Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia and Yoonchae. Formed through the 2023 audition programme The Debut: Dream Academy, they debuted on 28 June 2024, and their third mini album Wild entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1 in August 2026.
Sources
Claims in this story link to official or primary sources.
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Related
KATSEYE
HYBE x Geffen Records
KATSEYE are a six-member girl group on HYBE x Geffen Records — Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia and Yoonchae. Formed through the 2023 audition programme The Debut: Dream Academy, they debuted on 28 June 2024, and their third mini album Wild entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1 in August 2026.
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