Many K-pop fans like looking at charts and collages that rank groups by different numbers, such as streams, views, or social media followers. Fans also compare specific albums, title tracks, and entire comebacks. They often use MV views or Spotify streams as the main criteria to decide which release was more successful, but these numbers are only indirect signs of success. They still need to be converted into real commercial results -> physical album sales
As we know, a physical album is not only a CD. It also includes photocards, photobooks, and other fan items. Because of this, digital numbers definitely show general popularity, while physical sales show how many dedicated fans are ready to spend money directly on the group and on a specific release. One streaming subscription is used for many different artists. Buying an album is different because the fan chooses to spend money directly on one group and one specific release.
This idea comes from the fact that K-pop is also a business, so the money a comeback brings in is very important. It can be used for future releases, better music videos, more detailed concepts, promotions, and salaries for the idols and staff. In the end, real sales, including albums and merchandise, can affect how long a group stays active and how much the company is willing to invest in them.
I am intentionally leaving out concerts, even though they make up a significant part of a group’s total revenue, because this post is specifically about comparing physical sales and comeback-related merchandise with mainstream metrics such as streaming numbers, MV views, and follower counts. Obviously, there is a correlation between online popularity and physical sales, but that also means the connection is not direct. A group does not earn money from every person who follows them on platforms like Spotify or TikTok.
The point of this post is to raise the question of why physical sales may matter more than simple online popularity. I think they are one of the best ways to measure whether a group is successful as a business project.
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What made me rethink the criteria for success was the low number of views for izna’s latest comeback. I really like the title track, and the whole album seems very strong to me, but seeing their MV get fewer views than other popular groups that also had recent comebacks felt disappointing.
Then I checked Hanteo to see their physical sales and found that they were in second place for weekly physical sales from June 8 to June 14. Of course, I understand that this was the first week after their comeback, so sales were naturally at their peak. Still, the fact that the sales were there made me feel a little better.
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