2024.1.12
2023 was undoubtedly the KPOP bubble.
As mentioned in #2, more than ten KPOP artists ranked in the TOP 10 of the Billboard 200, the main album chart of the world's largest music chart, Billboard, and the overall album sales of KPOP reached an all-time high.
Looking at this chart, it's clear that the increase from 2022 to 2023 is astonishing, jumping from 77 million copies in 2022 to over 100 million in 2023.
If this isn't a bubble, then what is?
The top girl group is NewJeans with 4.39 million copies sold (by the way, my favorite Kep1er sold 320,000 copies, ranking 14th. It's a bit sad for us Kep1ians since they sold over a million copies in 2022…)
On the other hand, the top boy group is SEVENTEEN with an astonishing 16 million copies sold!
Stray Kids, in second place, also surpassed 10 million copies, and with BTS currently inactive due to military service, it's undeniable that these two groups are the top boy groups in terms of popularity and sales.
And NewJeans has quickly taken the throne of KPOP Queen, a title that BLACKPINK held for a long time, just one year after their debut.
Just as BLACKPINK popularized the girl crush concept across KPOP, NewJeans has brought the Y2K (short for Year 2000, referring to the late 1990s to early 2000s) movement to the entire KPOP scene.
It’s clear that since NewJeans, there has been a sudden increase in songs and music videos that resemble their style.
Knowing that during BLACKPINK's time, many girl crush concept groups debuted and most of them disappeared, I can’t help but feel that some groups may be heading towards a not-so-bright future due to the current NewJeans boom.
So, how long will this KPOP bubble last?
There are rumors that 2023 will peak and soon settle down, but is that really the case?
With the next comeback from Stray Kids, their fans, known as Stay, will likely aim to surpass their previous work, and they might even target SEVENTEEN's records.
If that happens, TOMORROW X TOGETHER and NCT DREAM, currently in 3rd and 4th place, might also ramp up their sales to keep up.
However, fans' wallets are not infinite, and there are limits.
The author has been buying over 30 CDs every time Kep1er makes a comeback, but this can’t go on forever.
Concert expenses are necessary, and there are also goods to buy, so there are many costs beyond just CDs.
SEVENTEEN members have started telling fans not to overdo it, and Wendy from RED VELVET even said that buying one CD is enough! She mentioned that she would tell the agency not to release multiple versions of one album, showing that idols are starting to worry about fans' financial situations. This suggests that there is a strong possibility of a temporary calm in 2024.
Honestly, the exhaustion of KPOP fans over the past few years has been immense.
There are even those who cut back on their own food expenses to buy hundreds of CDs.
Still, if it brings joy to their favorite idols, fans tend to push themselves to keep going, but it’s about time they reach their physical limits.
So, I want to propose something to all KPOP fans.
How about we all take a break in 2024?
Why not prioritize your own happiness this year?
When BTS returns as a full group in 2025, the CD sales war will inevitably come back, so why not take a breather until then?
That said, I know that fans are unlikely to take a break.
Because "my happiness = my idol's happiness"!
If my idol is happy, then I am happy!
Alright. I won’t say anything more about others' fan activities.
I hope everyone can enjoy their KPOP fandom at their own pace in 2024.
With that, I would like to conclude this article with these words.
"My idol's happiness is my happiness."
The End
Written by: Nekomachi Peko
Head of the SKOOTA KPOP team
〈Originally a rock music fan who once considered working at Rockin' On, a music enthusiast. Started listening to KPOP due to BTS and later became obsessed with BLACKPINK, stepping into the KPOP world. Became a hardcore fan of Kep1er, who debuted from the survival audition show 'Girls Planet 999', resulting in fully diving into the KPOP scene.〉