Over 57million physical albums by K-pop artists were sold last year, according to new data from Gaon Chart.
According to new year-end data published by Gaon Chart – the South Korean equivalent of the Billboard Charts – the Top 400 albums from the country had altogether sold a total of over 57million physical copies globally, per Yonhap News Agency.
The figure is a nearly 37 per cent increase from 2020, according to NME, where the Top 400 albums moved roughly 41.7million units. South Korean musicians sold 25million physical albums in 2019, and surpassed the 20million mark for the first time in 2018.
According to industry insiders who spoke to Yonhap, the sharp increase in album sales could be attributed to fans who have resorted to purchasing more albums during the COVID-19 pandemic, instead of attending live K-pop concerts and events.
