Where does kpop go from here?

Just read Nct dream latest album just surpassed 2M cumulative sales & that figure will likely be reflected on June's Gaon update

That's absolutely massive cause pre 2021 I didn't even know of dreams existence so I never thought they might be a potential 2M seller

Right now, Korea might produce 5 2M+ album sellers this year

Confirmed:

Nct dream

Upcoming bts album

Pending/highly likely:

17

Nct 127

BP

When do y'all think the physicals boom will peak in K-pop?

What kind of peak do u expect from these top 5 album sellers?

Personally I can see bts peaking with 7M sales for a single album & the 2 Nct units + BP/17 with 3M-3.5M for a single album

Quote from selfmate

well for a lot of groups they haven't even hit their peak yet so more album sales are possible...

still waiting for the next GG to hit 1m though

True as BP potentially moves into 2M territory

It's time for a GG to rise & move 1M physicals this year

Twice is very difficult due to the nature of their releases + waning popularity in kor/Jpn

No other GG has moved 500K beyond that so yep its unlikely this year

Quote from Haolat

I don't think 127 can match Dream's sales. When touring resumes album sales will probably dip a little bit

Isn't 127 the flagship Nct unit?

I'll be surprised if they don't crack 2M tbh

Quote from nevermindmejin

Where do they go? The obvious answer is towards the bar that BTS has set.

No kpop act has shown potential to match BTS physicals especially since bts is still very much active

Once they sell 7M that's the cap imo

Quote from paradis

Why no mention of Exo? I think they can do 3mn sales with all the most popular members back and those multiple versions.

Exo peaked in 2018 with 1.5M for a single album

By the time all members return from the military they will be back to selling 1M that's for sure but nothing more than that imo

Quote from Sweet-Spice

idk but the physical sale boom is pretty amazing, just how much bigger will it get for groups?

I mean this year 5 different groups are expected to move over 2M for a single album so that's massive & pre 2021 only 1 group has done it a couple of times so that's massive

Some say once touring resumes in 2022,the growth boom will subside a bit so we will see

Quote from paradis

I think you are severely underestimating them, ok maybe my 3mn is a very high number, but I think they will surpass 2mn at the least easily. Lay is back too, if their solo C bars help even a bit, it will be cake walk for them to cross 2mn.

Exo is a curious case

It'll be years before they are complete as 8 or 9 again

They didn't achieve 1M sales for their 2019 album, I don't think their 2021 album will sell 1M either or just might stop at 1M

2M is far from possible for Exo in these few upcoming years

Quote from penepol

Do you not think there is a possibility that that period of being without all the members could make fans more thirsty for content? Genuinely not trying to troll here- I think there’s a possibility it could go either way. Look at how blinks have grown when waiting for an anticipated comeback?

You're absolutely right but I get the feeling SM has sort moved their manpower to Nct

Exo will stay getting cbs that's for sure but the promo + wide distribution + adequate stock will be missing imo

So them not only breaking their biggest release (1.5M) record but setting new ones seems difficult right now

Quote from Haolat

yeah 127 is the flagship but coz dream was kinda like the neglected unit so their fans went harder this comeback.

NCT Dream is kinda like BP(i don't mean in popularity) since 2016 they have only gotten 1 mini album each year. They also had a graduation system but because people loved the group SM decided to make get rid of the graduation. Hot sauce is their first 1st comeback since they became a permanent unit and their first studio album so fans went all out.

Ahh that's interesting so the growth isn't your typical growth, the fandom actively wanted to show SM what dream is capable of lol definitely like BP in that regard

So 127 might not hit 2M, so I'll say anything between 1.5M-2M

Quote from paradis

They are actually breaking records in China as we speak with preorders, I think again you will be surprised. IMHO, Exo still has the 2nd largest fanbase in Kpop. They have just been dormant. This comeback will activate them.

Okay I'm ready to be surprised lol

Let's see what Exo has to offer in 2021

Quote from 4d-maknae

Dream has more younger asian fans which buy like crazy + this isn't a normal release, Hot Sauce is their first full album after 5 years of debut and symbolized Mark return to the group.

Unless it's a full album involving winwin's return, I don't think 127 will get 2M and I say this as a fan

Okay 1.5M then

Quote from 4d-maknae

Just check ktown numbers to know, it's a good indicator since lately most bars and ifans buy from there. All million sellers last year like Baek, BP, 17 and nct surpassed 400k sales on the site alone before release. Nct dream's Hot Sauce is the best seller there with 700k+ copies for their 2M seller album.

Exo preorder hasn't reached 250k+, so isn't going near the other groups with million seller status (Yet)

True see that's why I'm doubting Exo selling even 1M let alone 2M with this upcoming album

Quote from paradis

BTS don't break records on Ktown4u either but has that stopped them?

Usually Chinese & SEA fans are the major drivers of ktown sales

Bts sales are not known to majorly be from c-bars/SEA fans

Quote from 4d-maknae

Seems the most likely but nct is always surpassing themselves, i'd love to be wrong

2M is still possible so let's see

Quote from paradis

I know but I was assuming C bars for Exo could be buying elsewhere, but looks like Ktown4u is the major buying platform for SM groups.

For Chinese fans in general

C-blinks bought 500K of the 1.4M sales THE ALBUM pulled & ktown has THE ALBUM at 525K sales

So usually there's a correlation for groups that have huge active c-bars

Quote from nevermindmejin

I have to agree. More than 7M per album is crazy.

But BTS has done crazy before so..

I'll be surprised if they manage more than 7M

Cause as far as I know very few albums in 21st century have sold that much in pure sales

More than 7M & they will be joining a very elite list lol

Quote from daniel-cruz

No.

1. Photobook 1

2. Photo book 2

3. Expansion Ver. (Member individual covers)

4. Jewel Case

Also, It's nice seeing non-fans taking interest in EXO's physical sales.....

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So even 1M seems difficult now