BTS Jimin’s ‘Like Crazy’ Becomes First Korean-Language Song to Reach 1 Billion Filtered Spotify Streams

More than three years after its release, the Korean version of Jimin’s solo hit has reached a streaming milestone that reveals the song’s unusual longevity beyond its historic Billboard debut.

BTS member Jimin has reached another major streaming milestone with “Like Crazy.”

As of September 14, the Korean-language version of the song had surpassed 1 billion filtered streams on Spotify’s charts, according to cumulative chart data cited by Korean media. It is reported to be the first Korean-language song to reach the figure.

The achievement arrives more than three years after “Like Crazy” was released as the title track of Jimin’s debut solo album, FACE, on March 24, 2023.

Unlike a short-lived surge surrounding a new release, the milestone reflects years of sustained listening. It also reinforces the song’s position as one of the most commercially successful Korean-language solo tracks of the streaming era.

What Does ‘1 Billion Filtered Streams’ Actually Mean?

Filtered streams are not identical to the total play count displayed publicly on Spotify.

Spotify counts a song stream when a listener plays the track for at least 30 seconds. For its charts, however, the platform applies an additional formula intended to protect chart integrity and remove activity that it considers artificial or excessively repetitive.

Spotify does not disclose every part of that formula. It explains only that chart figures are generated through a method designed to represent authentic listening activity and ensure that users’ voices are reflected fairly. Spotify for Artists

As a result, a song’s chart-eligible filtered total is normally lower than its overall Spotify play count. Reaching 1 billion filtered streams means “Like Crazy” has accumulated an exceptionally large volume of listening that remained eligible under Spotify’s chart methodology.

There is one important qualification. Spotify does not publish a permanent all-time ranking of filtered streams organized by language. The “first Korean-language song” designation is therefore based on cumulative daily chart data tracked and calculated over time, rather than a separate Spotify-issued certification.

‘Like Crazy’ Was Already a Historic Billboard No. 1

The Spotify milestone adds another chapter to a song that made history immediately after its release.

“Like Crazy” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 2023, making Jimin the first South Korean solo artist to lead the chart. He also became the first BTS member to earn a solo Hot 100 No. 1.

The track recorded 10 million official US streams during its opening week and sold 254,000 downloads and CD singles combined, according to Billboard.

Its debut was initially driven by intense fan support, particularly through sales. Its continued Spotify performance, however, tells a different part of the story. More than three years later, “Like Crazy” is no longer relying on launch-week activity. Its cumulative streaming total now reflects a long period of repeat listening and continued discovery.

Why the Korean Version’s Record Matters

“Like Crazy” was released in separate Korean and English versions, with Spotify counting them as distinct tracks.

The Korean version explores the denial and emotional disorientation that follow the end of a relationship. Its narrator attempts to remain inside a dreamlike night rather than confront the loss waiting outside it.

The English version shifts the emotional emphasis toward fame, isolation and the fear of losing oneself. Although the two tracks share the same synth-pop production, they are not simply direct translations of one another.

The filtered-stream record belongs specifically to the Korean version. That detail matters because it demonstrates that international listeners did not require an English-language performance or a featured Western artist to keep returning to the song.

Jimin is the sole credited performing artist, while he also participated in writing the track alongside producers Pdogg and Ghstloop, BTS member RM, Blvsh, Chris James and Evan.

A Song Designed Around Emotion Rather Than Language

“Like Crazy” draws inspiration from the 2011 film of the same name and uses fragments of whispered dialogue to create a cinematic atmosphere.

Its production combines shimmering synthesizers, restrained percussion and Jimin’s airy vocals, capturing the sensation of moving through a crowded room while feeling emotionally detached from everyone inside it.

That atmosphere may help explain why the song continued traveling beyond Korean-speaking audiences. The lyrics are important, but the feeling is communicated before every word is understood. Desire, denial and loneliness are built directly into the sound.

The music video follows the same emotional structure. A night of dancing and apparent freedom gradually becomes unstable, leaving Jimin alone as the fantasy begins to collapse.

‘Who’ Extends Jimin’s Spotify Record

“Like Crazy” is not Jimin’s only solo track maintaining a major presence on Spotify.

“Who,” the title track of his second solo album MUSE, has reportedly surpassed 2.5 billion filtered streams. Together, the two songs give Jimin multiple solo releases above the billion-stream threshold in cumulative chart-eligible activity.

Both tracks are credited to Jimin without a featured performer. Their success therefore rests on his individual catalog rather than a high-profile collaboration.

The two songs also demonstrate different sides of his solo identity. “Like Crazy” is nocturnal, vulnerable and emotionally evasive, while “Who” approaches longing through a more direct and polished global pop sound.

More Than a Release-Week Record

Streaming milestones require context. One billion plays do not necessarily represent one billion individual people, and filtered figures should not be confused with Spotify’s publicly displayed totals.

Still, the length of time involved makes this achievement meaningful.

“Like Crazy” did not disappear after its Billboard No. 1 debut. It continued accumulating chart-eligible streams for more than three years, even as new releases arrived and Jimin temporarily stepped away from promotions to complete his military service.

The song began as the centerpiece of Jimin’s first solo album. It has since become something more durable: a Korean-language synth-pop track with enough emotional clarity to remain part of global listening habits long after its historic debut week ended.