BTS has demonstrated enduring market power following its full-group comeback, raising expectations for a revival in the K-pop album market.
The septet’s fifth LP, “Arirang,” which released Friday, has contributed to reaffirming BTS’ dominance. The album surpassed 4 million sales within just three days of its release, debuting at No. 1 on the Hanteo weekly album chart. In doing so, BTS quickly surpassed its own first-week sales record of 3.37 million copies for 2020 album “Map of the Soul: 7,” highlighting the continued strength and support of its fandom, known as Army.
The album also performed strongly on global streaming platforms. According to Spotify on Tuesday, lead track “Swim” topped the Daily Top Songs Global chart for three consecutive days, while side track “Body to Body” held the No. 2 spot over the same period.
Eight tracks from the album landed in the chart’s top 10, including “Hooligan,” “Fya,” “Normal,” “Like Animals,” “Aliens” and “2.0.”
The album has also seen strong results on Apple Music. “Arirang” became the most-streamed K-pop album globally on the platform on its first day of release, while also setting a new record for the most first-day streams for a pop album by a group.
“Arirang” marks BTS’ first full-group release in three years, following a hiatus in which the bandmates individually fulfilled their mandatory military service.
During that break, the K-pop industry underwent a shift toward fourth- and fifth-generation idols, resulting in a more layered and competitive landscape defined by high-performance, experimental concepts. While the pool of artists expanded, there was a “relative absence of a dominant top-tier act” capable of driving the market, according to culture critic Kim Sung-soo.
The K-pop albums market has experienced a slowdown, recording two consecutive years of declines.
According to the Korea Pop Music Industry Association, annual sales peaked at around 115 million albums in 2023, before falling to approximately 93 million in 2024 and 86 million in 2025. In such an industry setting, Kim told The Korea Herald that BTS’ return could serve as a turning point for the market.
“BTS is expected to play a role in revitalizing the market at a time when growth has slowed,” said Kim. “Amid a subdued market lacking standout idols, BTS’ comeback is likely to generate a ripple effect across the K-pop industry that is closely interconnected with activities of individual agencies and artists influencing one another.”
According to Circle Chart, BTS previously recorded cumulative sales of over 5.13 million copies with “Map of the Soul: 7.” While sales of the new album have yet to surpass that figure, its faster initial sales pace has drawn attention to its long-term performance and whether BTS will be able to beat its previous high.
In February, Blackpink also contributed to improving market sentiment with its full-group comeback. The group’s third EP, “Deadline,” sold over 1.77 million copies in the first week, setting a record for a K-pop girl group and reaffirming the band's position in the market.
“Both BTS and Blackpink achieved solid results despite going through extended hiatuses,” Kim commented. “The two groups are expected to serve as pillars of the album market this year when combining both their album sales, igniting further growth in the K-pop industry and perhaps shaping a completely different route for other K-pop groups to follow suit.”
lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com
