Let's compare k-pop/j-pop sale figures!
Comparing the two isn’t really much or fair since Japan has the bigger market. But we can also look at the k-pop groups who’ve debuted in Japan too.
This will be a comparison between SNSD vs AKB48 and TVXQ vs Big Bang vs Arashi. These are arguably the most popular idol groups in their respective countries.
TVXQ: Hug (Korea) - 238,819 | Stay With Me Tonight (Japan) - 10,166
Big Bang: Bigbang (Korea) - 39,655 | My Heaven (Japan) - 40,552
Arashi: Arashi - 557,430
With AKB48, it depends which single you want to consider their “debut single” considering they started off independently and then got into a major record label. But I’ll include both for kicks.
SNSD: Into the New World (Korea) - 100,000+ | Genie (Japan) - 148,352+
AKB48: Sakura no Hanabiratachi (independent) - 46,000 | Aitakatta (DefStar) - 49,000
TVXQ: Tri-Angle (Korea) - 310,130 | Heart, Mind and Soul (Japan) - 59,055
Big Bang: Since 2007 (Korea) - 48,009 | Big Bang (Japan) - 65,399
Arashi: Arashi wa Arashi wo Yobu - 323,000
SNSD: Girls’ Generation + repackage (Korea) - 268,000+
AKB48: Set List: Greatest Songs 2006-2007 + re-release - 200,000
Overall highest album sales:
TVXQ: Best Collection 2010 - 706,000+
Big Bang: Remember - 211,000
Arashi: Boku no Miteiru Fukei - 1,053,064
SNSD: Oh! - 335,000
AKB48: Kamikyokutachi - 511,000
Overall highest single sales:
TVXQ: The Way U Are (Korea) - 300,588 | Break Out! (Japan) - 289,412
Big Bang: Stand Up (Korea) - 170,000 | My Heaven (Japan) - 40,552
Arashi: Troublemaker - 698,542
SNSD: Gee (Korea/Japan) - 197,355+
AKB48: Sakura no Ki ni Narou - 1,070,000
And so I’d like to end this post saying that your unnirs and oppars aren’t as popular as they are in Korea when you throw them into a larger market. Also, remember how I was being pressed as fuck over all these k-pop groups debuting left and right in Japan? They’re all just pretty much riding on the Hallyu wave that TVXQ and BoA helped pave in Japan (music-wise, at least). I mean, while TVXQ and BoA released original stuff in Japan, you’ve got 90% of current k-pop idols coming out with recycled Japanese remakes of their Korean songs.
Take a look at TVXQ’s first sales in Japan. Pretty low, right? Cos back then, nobody in Japan really gave a shit about k-pop. You can see from SNSD’s and Big Bang’s sales in Japan that k-pop’s has gained more appeal over time. However, that still isn’t enough to rival the popular groups in Japan who, on average, sell at the very least 300,000 copies for a single.
So all you k-pop bitches who brag about k-pop being the hottest shit ever and bash everything else, get off your high horses and just enjoy the music and idols, man. This ain’t no fucking competition.
tangentwithtanner
yousharknotpass
romaincrisis
jacobvanloon
gummygunk
baratheonpilled
jbbartram-illu
janainaart
