We always hear stories about HYBE trying to debut new groups or promote "dinosaur" rookies to fill the void left by BTS after they enlist. However, the truth is that BTS's throne cannot be replaced by anyone!
This is also the case on a larger scale - the Kpop industry. Recently, кσяєαn media reported that K-pop album sales have dropped for the first time in 10 years. The main reason for this problem is pointed out as the "absence" of the top Kpop superstar - BTS.
Here’s what industry experts have to say about the trend:
According to data from Circle Chart, K-pop album sales fell for the first time in a decade, down 19.5% in 2024 compared to 2023. This is a sign of change in the K-pop industry, especially as major groups like BTS go on hiatus.
Data from Week 1 to Week 50 of 2024 shows that cumulative album sales for the top 400 rankings dropped by nearly 19.5% year-over-year. This decrease highlights a sharp contrast to the consistent growth observed over the past decade, peaking at over 100 million copies in 2023. By week 51 (December 21), the number of "million-seller" albums had dropped to 21, down from 34 the year before.
The decline was especially evident among male artists. Furthermore, although boy groups led in sales in both years, their figures showed a sharp decline. Specifically, SEVENTEEN, for example, led the rankings with approximately 8.9 million copies sold in 2024 but still recorded a significant drop of 7.1 million copies compared to 2023 as Seventeen sold a staggering 16 million albums in 2023. Similarly, Stray Kids saw a reduction of around 5 million albums in 2024 compared to 2023.
In 2023, there were two albums that sold over 5 million copies, SEVENTEEN's FML and Stray Kids' 5-STAR, and one album that surpαѕѕed 4 million copies, SEVENTEEN's SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN. In contrast, the best-selling album of 2024, SEVENTEEN's Spill the Fills, only surpαѕѕed 3 million copies.
Meanwhile, female artists showed a smaller decrease in overall sales, with notable performances by groups like NewJeans, (G)I-DLE, and aespa, who collectively dominated the top ranks. Analyzing album sales by gender, the proportion of female artists is increasing. Male artists accounted for 71% of album sales, down 3.9% from the previous year, while female artists accounted for 28.9%, up 4.1%.
2024 also saw a decline in the number of albums that sold over 1 million copies. Only 20 albums нιт the milestone this year, down from 33 in the same period last year. The number of artists with cumulative sales of over 1 million copies also dropped to 24. The decline was largely driven by male artists, with the number of groups dropping from 17 to 14.
It's also worth noting that export figures also highlight the industry's challenges. Data from the кσяєα Customs Service shows that total album exports reached $129.39 million in the first half of 2024, down 2.7% from 2023 and the first negative growth in nine years. The decline "coincidentally" coincides with BTS's absence from group activities and complete absence due to military service.
This situation shows a major turning point in the K-pop industry, as the absence of big names like BTS has left a deep mark on the кσяєαn music market and revenue. Without BTS for too long, music industry officials are worried that Kpop will enter a period of recession, a prolonged stagnation. Another reason for the "Kpop crisis" is that when BTS temporarily stopped working, a part of the group's fans ℓσѕт attention, leading to Kpop lacking appeal.
In a previous speech by HYBE president Bang Shi Hyuk on "the importance of BTS", he also highlighted this situation. He stated: "The influence of the intellectual property (IP) held by BTS globally is truly unmatched. BTS's global reach is broader than the reach of the K-Pop industry alone, and without BTS in this industry, the scale of K-Pop would be greatly reduced. Therefore, the actual situation when BTS does not carry out activities in this industry is a big cause".
However, industry experts have high expectations for 2025 when the Kpop industry will see the return of superstar BTS. Since the second half of 2025, BTS's release of a full album and the launch of the 10th anniversary world tour "Hwa Yang Yeon Hwa" have been a positive signal for the industry's sales!
