"Film Out" is a song recorded by South Korean boy band BTS for their Japanese-language compilation album, BTS, the Best (2021). It was released on April 2, 2021, through Universal Music and Big Hit Music, as the lead single from the compilation album.
"Film Out" was announced by BTS on February 16, 2021, as the ending theme for Signal the Movie Cold Case Investigation Unit (2021).[1][2] The song was written by BTS member Jungkook in collaboration with the lead vocalist of Japanese rock power trio Back Number, Iyori Shimizu, and the track's producer UTA.[3][4][5] A ballad number,[4] "Film Out" was eventually revealed as the opening track on BTS' then upcoming Japanese-language compilation album, BTS, the Best; the album was released in June.[6][7] The song was released for digital download and streaming in various countries on April 2, through Universal Music Japan.[8]
"Film Out" debuted at number one on Oricon's Daily Digital Singles chart dated April 2, 2021 with 23,344 downloads.[9] With only three days of availability, the song also topped the Weekly Digital Singles chart for the tracking period dated March 29–April 4 with 32,947 cumulative downloads.[10][11] "Film Out" debuted at number two on the Japan Hot 100, on the chart issue dated April 7,[12] and topped the corresponding issues for the component Download and Streaming Songs charts.[13][14] Following the release of BTS, the Best in June, the song re-entered Oricon's weekly Digital chart at number 20 with an additional 5,002 downloads sold for the period June 14–20.[15]
In the United States, with only one day of availability for the tracking week ending April 2, "Film Out" debuted at number 185 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart issue dated April 10, with 2,400 downloads sold and an accumulated 15 million streams. It was one of four BTS songs in the top-10 that week, marking the second time the group charted songs in three languages (Japanese, English, and Korean) within the same period. No other artist has achieved this since the chart's inception.[16] The following week, with its first full period of tracking from April 2–8, "Film Out" debuted on the Billboard Global 200 at number five, with 47.2 million streams and 66,000 sales, becoming BTS' fifth top-10 entry on the chart—the most among all groups since the ranking was launched. It is the first Japanese song to chart in the top five, and the second in the top 10 after LiSA's "Homura" which charted at number eight in October. The song moved up 182 spots on the Global Excl. U.S. chart to number three, with 44.3 million streams and second-week sales of 47,000 copies, marking the greatest jump on the chart by any song—the record was previously held by IU's "Celebrity" which moved up 146 spots from number 190 to 44 in February.[17] "Film Out" became the group's first Japanese-language song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, at number 81, and its 20th entry on the ranking overall.[18] With 19,000 copies sold, the song was the best-selling release of the week and topped the Digital Songs chart. This marked BTS' first Japanese-language number-one on the sales chart, sixth number-one overall, and 24th top-10 entry.[19]
The music video for the song, directed by Yong Seok Choi of Lumpens, was released to Big Hit's YouTube channel at midnight KST on April 2, 2021.[20][21] It was preceded by a trailer uploaded to the same platform on March 25.[22] The video opens to show the band inside a white-themed house, suspended in the sky.[20][23][24] In it, the members reflect on memories that they shared with one another.[24][25]Jin notices an hour-glass counting down the time they have spent together.[25] The hour-glass appears several times throughout the clip and leads up to a "dramatic" explosion that leaves the house in complete chaos.[20][24]
^BTSが「劇場版シグナル」主題歌でback numberとコラボ、清水依与吏とグクが楽曲制作のやり取り [BTS collaborates with back number on the theme song of 'Theatrical Version of Signal', and Iyori Shimizu and Jungkook co-composition]. Natalie (in Japanese). February 16, 2021. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
^BTS×back number『劇場版シグナル』主題歌コラボ ジョングクと清水依与吏が'共作' [BTS x back number 'Theatrical version signal' theme song collaboration Jungkook and Iyori Shimizu 'co-composed'] (in Japanese). Oricon. March 26, 2021. Archived from the original on April 1, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
デイリー デジタルシングル（単曲）ランキング [Oricon Daily Digital Single ranking April 2, 2021] (in Japanese). Oricon. April 2, 2021. Archived from the original on April 3, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
デイリー デジタルシングル（単曲）ランキング [Oricon Daily Digital Single ranking April 3, 2021] (in Japanese). Oricon. April 3, 2021. Archived from the original on April 4, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
デイリー デジタルシングル（単曲）ランキング [Oricon Daily Digital Single ranking April 4, 2021] (in Japanese). Oricon. April 4, 2021. Archived from the original on April 6, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
^BTS、最新曲「Film out」が自身初のデジタルシングル1位獲得【オリコンランキング】 [BTS's latest song 'Film out' won first place, their first digital single [Oricon Ranking]] (in Japanese). Oricon. April 7, 2021. Archived from the original on April 7, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
^ＢＴＳ新曲「Ｆｉｌｍ ｏｕｔ」がグループ初の週間シングルランク１位獲得 [BTS' new song 'Film out' won the group first place on the weekly single ranking]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). April 7, 2021. Archived from the original on April 6, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
^BTS、back numberとのコラボ曲「Film out」MVで繊細な表現 半日で1800万再生突破 [Delicate expression in MV of collaboration song 'Film out' between BTS and Back Number, Over 18 million views in half a day] (in Japanese). Oricon. April 2, 2021. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
