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Being one of the best-selling K-pop artists of all time implies that fans not only enjoy your music but are also willing to spend money to buy your albums. In the age of streaming sites being available for free, many people don’t feel the need to buy albums, even to support their favorite artists. However, that is not the case in the K-pop industry.
K-pop fans see albums as collectibles due to the effort that goes into it, along with the goodies and merchandise that accompany one album. Most K-pop fans attempt to buy almost all the albums of their favorite groups or idols to show support and increase their collection.
The best-selling K-pop artist list of all time is based on their sales in both South Korea and Japan. Sales data is compiled from Hanteo, Circle (Gaon), and Oricon. Let’s look at the K-pop artists who managed to reach the top 10 positions on this list.
From BoA to BTS: 10 best-selling K-pop artists in the history of South Korea
10) Lee Moon-sae
Lee Moon-sae is a Korean ballad singer who debuted in 1978. The artist is a legend in South Korea and was the voice behind the narration of the iconic K-drama Reply 1988. The singer-songwriter has released 16 full-length albums and is tenth on the list of best-selling K-pop artists of all time, selling over 9.1 million copies in his entire career.
9) NCT Dream
Out of all the NCT sub-units, only NCT Dream has been able to make it into the top 10 list of best-selling K-pop artists of all time. The group recently became million-sellers with their albums Hot Sauce and Hello Future. Despite having only debuted in 2016, the group has sold over 9.4 million copies of all their albums cumulatively.
8) BoA
The queen of K-pop, BoA has sold over 9.9 million copies of her albums, putting her in eighth position on the list of best-selling K-pop artists. The K-pop idol has released 20 albums as of 2022. The singer debuted in 2000 at a young age of 13, and achieved decent success with her debut album ID; Peace B.
However, it was her success in Japan which solidified her popularity. This caused her to pause South Korean activities to focus on making her music for the Japanese audience, and her first Japanese album, Listen to My Heart, went on to become a RIAJ certified million-seller. She was the first Korean artist to achieve this feat.
7) Kim Gun-mo
Kim Gun-mo is one of South Korea’s veteran singers, having spent three decades in the Korean music industry and is considered the most-successful artist of the 1990s. The singer-songwriter debuted in 1992, and has sold over 11.6 million copies of his 13 albums till date, placing him seventh on the list of best-selling K-pop artists of all time.
His third album, Wrongful Encounter, released in 1995, was the best-selling album of all time in South Korea until it was dethroned by BTS’ Map of the Soul: Persona in 2019.
6) TWICE
K-pop girl group TWICE is sixth on the list of best-selling artists of all time. The nine-member group had Korea hooked ever since they debuted in 2015 with their lead single Like Ooh-Ahh.
They’ve been producing earworms ever since and have been awarded the Song of the Year Daesang multiple times at the Mnet Asian Music Awards and Melon Music Awards for their catchy songs. The group has currently released over 18 albums and has sold more than 11.7 million copies cumulatively.
5) TVXQ
TVXQ were considered the King of K-pop back when they debuted in 2003 and have more than 22 albums in their discography. The group was immediately catapulted to stardom with the release of their debut single, Hug.
The group enjoyed popularity not only in South Korea but also in Japan, where they are still extremely famous. Their song Mirotic is touted as a staple in K-pop music. The group has sold over 12.1 million copies of their albums, cumulatively placing them fifth on the list of best-selling K-pop artists of all time.
4) Shin Seung-hun
Shin Seung-hun was given the title Emperor of Ballads for his emotional and mellifluous voice. The singer debuted in 1990 with his hit single Reflection of You in Your Smile and has sold over 12.6 million copies of his albums, making him the fourth best-selling K-pop artist of all time.
The singer has released 20 albums and used to hold the record for most estimated albums sold in South Korea, however, that record was snatched by BTS in 2020.
3) EXO
EXO debuted in 2012 and has since then released over 14 albums, selling 13.6 million copies. This puts them in third place on the list of best-selling K-pop artists of all time.
The group currently has nine members who are on hiatus and working on their solo releases, however, in their prime they were considered the top group right from their debut, making waves in both South Korea and China. Their single Growl is touted as one of the best debut songs till date.
2) SEVENTEEN
The 13 member group, SEVENTEEN, debuted in 2015 and the group’s popularity has been consistently increasing with every passing year. They gained mainstream success with their songs Very Nice and Don’t Wanna Cry and are currently the second most famous boy group in the K-pop industry.
The group is known for self-producing their songs and their intense synchronization. Having released over 15 albums, the group has sold 16.4 million copies cumulatively, making them the second best-selling K-pop artist.
1) BTS
To no one’s surprise, the best-selling K-pop artist of all time is the biggest band in the world, BTS. The Grammy nominated group has over 16 albums and has sold a whopping 43 million copies till date.
Not only are they best-selling artists domestically, but they have also been consecutively named the highest-selling artist globally, according to the IFPI, a feat not achieved by any musical artist in the world. Currently, they are also the best-selling group in the US for 2022, surpassing The Beatles.
Their album, Map of the Soul: 7, also holds the record for the highest-selling album of all time in South Korea and their song Spring Day is the most streamed K-pop song of all time on the Melon chart. They also hold the record for the most Daesangs won by an artist in South Korean history as well. BTS is a highly decorated group and hence they sit atop the list of the best-selling K-pop artists.
With more and more groups becoming million-sellers, it will be interesting to see how the list changes in the coming years. However, it can be said with certainty that BTS’ crown is safe for many years to come.
