BTS is just days away from their big June reunion, with a full-group music comeback likely dropping next year Although the iconic K-pop group that previously dominated international charts might soon reclaim their prominence—partially overshadowed due to members' mandatory military service—for the time being, The Hollywood Reporter has designated SEVENTEEN as "the world’s most successful K-pop band." This 13-member boy band, established in 2015, recently surged into the global top three in album sales, placing them among renowned artists such as Taylor Swift and even outperforming Grammy-winning artist Kendrick Lamar.
SEVENTEEN has been named the most popular global K-pop artists.
In their latest article titled "The Edge of Seventeen," the publication lavished praise upon the group for their growing cultural influence and their remarkable ability to continually redefine themselves. These artists have not only embarked on stadium tours larger than those of Bruce Springsteen but also matched Taylor Swift in album sales. Managed under HYBE Corporation through its subsidiary Pledis Entertainment—which also houses BTS—the band includes members such as S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, The 8, Mingyu, DK, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino.
Seoul has been swept up in SEVENTEEN fever as the ensemble celebrates ten years since forming and releases their newest album, “Happy Burstday.” As reported by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, in 2024, SEVENTEEN was crowned the top musical act globally based on album sales; even icons like Taylor Swift and Drake surpassed them marginally. They overshadowed renowned figures including The Weeknd, Billie Eilish, and Kendrick Lamar—who boast prestigious accolades ranging from Oscars to multiple Grammys—as well as dedicated fan bases akin to religious following.
Their Asia tour spanning from 2023 to 2024 generated an astounding revenue of $98.4 million across merely twenty-four performances, establishing it as the most lucrative K-pop concert series of the year.
Also read: Seventeen’s Joshua says Jeonghan has ‘a lot of worries like him’, S Coups is ‘straightforward’
Currently, the HYBE headquarters is intensely strategizing for BTS’s upcoming return after their military service, while simultaneously celebrating the success of SEVENTEEN, whose signboard boldly declares an eternal challenge. However, this rapid progress may slow down due to several members preparing for mandatory military service. In South Korea, every man must complete his service before turning 30. JEONGHAN and WOONWOO have already begun theirs, with others set to follow suit.
"Happy Sweeps Day," which launched impressively, sold over 2.2 million copies within its first day. It’s astonishing to recall how they started in 2015 with "17 Carat," selling only around 1,400 units in the opening week. During an interview with HR Magazine, S.Coups stated, “We stand at a fresh start, eager to embark on a new journey and pave our own way forward.”
“We've primarily concentrated on collective activities thus far,” noted HOSHI, SEVENTEEN’s leader. “As most team members prepare for military duties, we aim to highlight each member's uniqueness—personal traits and abilities—to ensure that upon reunion, we can present ourselves even stronger than ever.”
Also read: The creator of BTS, Bang Si Hyuk, might be facing up to life imprisonment due to alleged fraud amounting to approximately $290 million; this has led to a sharp decline in the stock value of HYBE.
On the contrary, BTS released their compilation album "Proof" in 2022. This collection quickly climbed to become the second-largest debut week sales figure for a BTS album, just after their 2020 release, "Map of the Soul: 7." As reported by The Korea Times, more than 2.75 million copies were sold within the first week alone. Currently, each band member is concentrating on individual endeavors; J-Hope is touring globally, while Jin performs shows all around South Korea concurrently. The ensemble plans a comprehensive come back in June this year, potentially followed by another musical venture scheduled for 2026.
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