BTS dominates overseas iTunes songs charts with Japanese version of ‘Fake Love’

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) — The global K-pop group BTS has topped overseas iTunes Top Songs charts with a Japanese version of its hit song “Fake Love.”

The song with Japanese lyrics took the top post on the iTunes Top Songs charts of 38 regions, including Argentina, Chile, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Indonesia and Vietnam, on Tuesday.

The song was uploaded on online music services at 12 a.m., ahead of the release of the group’s new Japanese album, which includes the song.

“Fake Love,” the original Korean number, is the main track of the “Love Yourself: Tear” album released in May. The track came in at 10th on the Billboard Hot 100 main singles chart and at No. 1 on the iTunes Top Songs charts of 52 regions around the world.

The band will release its ninth Japanese single, titled “Fake Love/Airplane pt. 2,” on Nov. 7 ahead of its “Love Yourself” tour of Japan, which begins in Tokyo on Nov. 13.

Including the Japanese version of “Fake Love,” the forthcoming single has a total of four songs. The others are the Japanese version of “Airplane pt.2,” also a track from “Love Yourself: Tear,” a remix of “Idol” and a remix of the Japanese-language “Fake Love.”

“Fake Love/Airplane pt. 2″ was originally to contain “Bird,” an original Japanese song whose lyrics were written by Yasushi Akimoto, the creator, producer and lyricist of the hugely popular Japanese girl group AKB48. But the song was replaced by the “Idol” remix due to a protest by Korean fans who accused Akimoto of having right-wing beliefs.