K-Pop Album Exports Hit Record High in First Half of 2026, Strong Momentum Expected to Continue

Driven by the comebacks of K-pop icons such as BTS and BLACKPINK, K-pop album exports reached an all-time high in the first half of this year.

According to import and export trade statistics from the Korea Customs Service, album exports from January to June totaled 257.478 million dollars, or approximately 382.3 billion won, marking a 125% increase compared to the same period last year and the highest figure ever recorded for the first half of a year.

By destination, the United States ranked first with approximately 110.1 billion won, unusually surpassing Japan. China followed in second place with about 91 billion won, and Japan came in third with approximately 67.8 billion won.

Germany, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, and Poland also made it into the top 10 export destinations.

In the first half of this year, BTS released their 5th studio album, "Arirang," in March—their first in 3 years and 9 months—which dominated Billboard's main single and album charts. Previously, in February, BLACKPINK released their third mini-album, "Deadline," which recorded nearly 2 million copies in sales by June.


In its first-half report, Luminate, a U.S. entertainment industry data analysis firm, analyzed that total U.S. CD sales surged by 16% in the first half of the year, thanks to the BTS album "Arirang."

The album "Arirang" was recorded to have sold 567,000 CDs and 331,000 LPs in the U.S. during the first half of the year.

The top 10 list for U.S. CD sales in the first half included BTS's "Arirang" at number 1, followed by ENHYPEN's "The Sin: Vanish" at number 2 (286,000 copies), ATEEZ's "Golden Hour: Part 4" at number 3 (263,000 copies), ATEEZ's "Golden Hour: Part 5" at number 4 (212,000 copies), Cortis's "Green Green" at number 5 (169,000 copies), Stray Kids's "Do It" at number 6 (141,000 copies), and Tomorrow X Together's "Seventh Year: When the Wind Briefly Stops in the Thorns" at number 7 (123,000 copies).

Including HYBE's U.S.-Korea joint girl group KATSEYE's "SIS (Soft Is Strong)" at number 10 (106,000 copies), 8 out of the top 10 albums are K-pop related.

Following its remarkable performance in the first half, K-pop is expected to continue its global success in the second half with the return of world-renowned stars.

Celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, the group BIGBANG will embark on a world tour, starting with concerts in Goyang from August 21 to 23.

Stray Kids will also release their new mini-album, "This and That," on August 7 and attempt to reach number 1 on the Billboard 200 for the ninth time in their career.

(Photo: Courtesy of Big Hit Music, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.