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| ▲ Customers shop in K-pop music store. (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- A survey has revealed that K-pop fans are experiencing excessive spending and stress due to the intense competition for first-week album sales (initial sales) and promotional tactics such as random photo cards.
K-Pop Radar, a fandom data analysis platform, conducted an online survey from June 18 to July 1 via the idol schedule notification app 'Blip' and Twitter. The survey included 1,001 respondents, with 384 classified as light fans and 617 as core fans.
Fans were categorized based on their spending during an artist's active period. Those spending over 50,000 KRW (approximately $40) were deemed core fans, while those spending less were light fans.
When asked if the initial sales competition felt excessive, 63.3% of light fans and 74.4% of core fans agreed. Similarly, 66.9% of light fans and 71.6% of core fans felt that fandoms were making excessive purchases to boost initial sales.
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| ▲ This image, provided by Space Oddity, operator of fandom data analysis platform K-Pop Radar, shows its online survey results on the K-pop first week sales ("chodong sales") Competition. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Major K-pop agencies emphasize ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management in their reports but paradoxically promote sales competitions and random photo card schemes to drive album sales.
Even Billboard recently highlighted that many Korean fans purchase package CDs with a "lottery-style" marketing strategy and accompanying goods, despite not owning CD players.
A significant majority of core fans indicated concern over initial sales. More than half of the core fans reported feeling stress due to the competition and participated in purchasing albums or group orders to support initial sales.
Specifically, 70.2% of core fans experienced stress due to random photo card draws, and 77.0% believed these tactics were designed to boost initial sales. Additionally, 62.5% of light fans and 76.2% of core fans perceived that companies sometimes use unfair methods to increase initial sales.
K-Pop Radar concluded, "This survey confirmed the negative perceptions fans have about initial sales competition. It highlighted the significant burden and excessive consumption this competition places on fans."
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