▲ This photo, provided by JYP Entertainment, shows the members of Stray Kids. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) 

 

▲ This photo, provided by the Circle Chart, shows the 2022 Top 10 Annual Retail Album Chart. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) 

 

▲ This photo, provided by ADOR, shows the members of NewJeans. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) 

 

 

SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) – Stray Kids and singers from the previously broadcasted singing survival show “Mr. Trot” have been appreciated to have dominated the domestic music market last year.

According to the 2022 Annual Retail Album Chart released on Monday by the Circle Chart, previously known as the Gaon Music Chart, which tabulates the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in South Korea, Stray Kids’ “MAXIDENT” was the most-sold album in Korea last year, with 1.3 million copies sold.

“Proof” by K-pop sensation BTS then followed by selling 950,000 copies; aespa’s “Girls” came next with 890,000 copies sold, and a trot-star Lim Young-woong’s “IM HERO” came in fourth by selling 710,000 copies.

Kim Ho-joong and Yong Tak, also stars from “Mr.Trot,” along with K-pop groups Seventeen, IVE, and TOMORROW X TOGETHER made it to the top 10 domestic sales of the annual retail album chart.

Along with “MAXIDENT,” Stray Kids also had another album “ODDINARY” sitting at No.9 with 510,000 copies sold, having two albums enlisted on the Top 10 chart.

The Circle Chart’s Retail Album Chart reports a tally of actual sales at offline retailers, which is distinctive from the familiar album charts which are usually based on shipments. In particular, the Chart reported by the Circle Chart divides domestic sales with that from foreign so that domestic sales can be identified exclusively, with overseas sales put aside.

As K-pop music has been garnering worldwide attention and love over the past several years, it has become rather challenging to estimate the public affinity for idol groups in South Korea in particular. This Chart serves to be the reference point identifying the most popular group in terms of domestic album sales.

With overseas fans growing in size, influence, and power, they are also contributing to album sales, YouTube views, and terrestrial music programs, which are often deemed major benchmarks of an artist’s popularity.

In response to such a global phenomenon, the Circle Chart has released retail album charts that separate domestic and foreign sales, providing a reliable yardstick measuring the domestic popularity of South Korean artists.

South Korean boy group Stray Kids, which has witnessed the group’s growing international fandom by entering the “Billboard 200” twice in 2022, is now assessed to have successfully built a solid domestic fandom. “In addition to the group’s international album records, Stray Kids also expanded their domestic fandom by performing actively by organizing fan meetings, world tours, pop-up stores, and also showcasing their own original contents,” analyzed a person who is concerned with the K-pop industry. “After topping the ‘Billboard 200’ with ‘ODDINARY,’ we have been expecting more from the group.”

Meanwhile, the group’s agency JYP Entertainment said, “Stray Kids will continue to be actively meeting their fans online and offline with their upcoming two albums, fan meetings, collaborations, and special concerts, in addition to their world tour to the U.S., Japan, Thailand, and Singapore in 2023.”

Another noteworthy fact is that three stars from the competition reality show “Mr. Trot,” including Lim Young-woong, Kim Ho-joong, and Youg Tak, were also enlisted in the Top 10 annual domestic sales, proving the power of the middle-aged and elderly fandom with purchasing power.

In particular, Kim Ho-joong’s “Panorama” and Yong Tak’s “MMM” raked in 680,000 copies (No.5) and 520,000 copies (No.8), respectively – the two albums that sold only 21 and 61 copies internationally. These records confirm that the fan bases of “Mr. Trot” stars were heavily concentrated on Koreans, unlike those of other K-pop idols.

South Korean online music store and music streaming service Melon’s “Becoming a Fan” function also serves as another indicator measuring the size of domestic fandoms: The “Becoming a Fan” function shows the tracks of the favorite singer of the user’s choice at “Latest Music” category. In addition, the number of fans made will be reflected on Melon’s “Artist Chart.”

Last year, the top 10 artists were named in terms of the increase in the number of fans signed: The South Korean rookie girl group NewJeans topped the list with 72,000 fans signed, followed by IVE with 53,000 fans, (G)I-DLE with 39,000 fans, NCT Dream with 36,000 fans, and LE SSERAFIM with 35,000 fans. Among the top 10, four were South Korean girl groups, witnessing the generation of girl groups with tremendous popularity.

“Melon’s Becoming a Fan function is deemed one of the integral steps of becoming a fan of an artist in South Korea,” an official from Melon explained. “The fact that girl groups have been reigning the K-pop industry has been reflected in our chart.”

Jung Min-jae, a South Korean pop music critic, predicted, “Girl groups including NewJeans, IVE, LE SSERAFIM, seem to remain active as they were last year,” adding, “The most attention is drawn to the kind of music they will unveil.”

He added, “Among the male groups, we expect Xdinary Heroes, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, and ATEEZ to go big this year.”

(This article is translated from Korean to English by Ha eun Lee)

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