Entertainment · K-Culture & Anime · 3 hrs ago
K-pop Album Sales Set to Top 100 Million After Three-Year Gap
South Korea’s K-pop album sales are expected to top 100 million this year, three years after they last passed that mark.
Sales fell below 100 million in both 2024 and 2025, but January-to-September sales this year were 7.6 million higher than in the same period last year.
One factor is the growing popularity of platform albums, which use QR codes or NFC instead of CDs to provide music and related content.
Some are sold as items such as key rings, dolls or earphones, giving fans something to keep even as listening moves to streaming.
Platform albums made up 17.8% of sales by September, up from 11.3% in 2023, and their average wholesale price rose 29.3% over that period.
Their lack of a CD may also appeal to fans concerned about plastic waste, while higher prices could help music companies earn more per album.
A music data analyst expects their share to reach 30%, bringing them into closer competition with CDs, though the annual sales total depends on fourth-quarter sales.
K-pop album sales are expected to exceed 100 million this year, which would be the first time in three years.
The forecast is based on Circle Chart’s Top 400 album chart and depends on sales in the fourth quarter.
Platform albums, which use QR codes or NFC instead of CDs, are among the factors credited with supporting the market.
Platform albums accounted for 17.8% of album sales through September, up from 11.3% in 2023.
Their average supply price rose 29.3% between 2023 and September 2026.
- Who
- K-pop artists and their labels, with platform albums contributing to the market’s growth.
- What
- K-pop album sales are forecast to top 100 million this year after a three-year gap.
- When
- The forecast was reported on October 31, 2026, based on sales through September.
- Where
- South Korea’s K-pop album market.
- Why
- The article cites major group comebacks and the spread of platform albums, alongside diversification of album formats.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Annual album sales reached 115.77 million, according to Circle Chart’s Top 400.
Annual album sales fell to 93.28 million.
Annual album sales fell to 86.38 million.
Circle Chart data journalist Kim Jin-woo presented an analysis of physical album format trends from 2023 to 2026.
Top 400 album sales were 7.6 million higher than in the same period a year earlier, and platform albums held a 17.8% share.
- Annual sales forecast
- More than 100 million albums in 2026
- Previous year above 100 million
- 2023
- 2024 sales
- 93.28 million albums
- 2025 sales
- 86.38 million albums
- Platform album share
- 17.8% through September 2026
- Average platform album supply price
- 11,305 won through September 2026, up 29.3% from 2023
1 source
What people are saying
Depending on fourth-quarter sales trends, annual sales are expected to surpass 100 million again for the first time in three years.
With platform albums’ market share now close to 20%, I expect it to expand to 30% before long.
The era of competing head-on with CDs will also come.
With streaming becoming widespread and CDs less useful, interest is also growing in merchandise-style albums that people can actually wear or carry.