After the Golden Disc Awards, I have come to a realization that aespa truly is the biggest 4th generation group in South Korea right now (I am not including overseas). For their first year they were able to established their group reputation to the K-pop Industry, signing multiple advertisements, product endorsements, magazine covers and most importantly, having a great success on Korean Charts (Melon, Genie, Vibe and etc) which is very elusive to 4th generation groups ( DCT, Savage and Next Level), they were also able to sold 570k copies of their debut album Savage. So for evidence, they bagged the following awards and achievement just 1 year after their debut:
πRookie Grandslam
π Visionary Award
πPAKs
πCAKs
πRAKs
AAA
πStage of the Year
πRookie of the Year
πHot Trends award
MAMA
πBest New Female Artist
πFemale Best Dance Performance
MMA
πRecord of the Year
πBonsang
πRookie of the Year
πBest Female group
GDA
πRookie of the Year
πCosmopolitan Artists
πDigital Bonsang
πArtist of the Year
SMA
πNew Female Artist
GCMA
πRookie of the Year
I am not in any way also claiming that they are the 4th gen leaders or whatsoever, but I think it is safe to say that aespa has an incredible career for a 1 year old group and they are the biggest 4th generation K-pop group in SoKor right now...I just want to appreciate aespa's milestone especially right now after almost a month of hate they've been receiving in reddit.
Edit: Album Sales
Something really hilarious (am I even allow to call it hilariousπ) to me today. So, we have a assignments about the role of embassy in a country and what does their participation is important to the country where they implanted and the initial country. My task was first for Kenyan embassy but a classmate of mine who is from Kenya want to do it so they exchange the country with me which is South Korea.
I went there prepared with questions and a hand written letter to the ambassador which will allow me to meet one of the diplomats for the matter. As I'm waiting, there were two other girls (they look like they're under 17 tho I'm not sure) sitting opposite of me also waiting and being angry. They call the security guard after few minutes and ask him to let them meet the ambassador. I thought that they want to have a scholarship for them in a university in South Korea. So I asked of this were the case (for information) and replied no and they "want to see the ambassador to sent a important matter to South Korea". I didn't search to know more as to respect their privancy. Then some minutes passed and the Secretary called them in. I think they went there for at least 10min before the girls came out crying and the secretary telling the guard to show let them go. Turn out their letter is to ask the embassy to tell YG to let Blackpink have a comeback.
Once they're out the secretary look at the guard and said "We have more important things to handle than telling a company to let some Blackpink release a song for their fans. Maybe if the company pay me I'll do it." Both of them laughed. The French version is much more funny and aggressive π. I think aside from me, the people present there were confused.
I left the embassy at around 2pm and the girls were still outside waiting for maybe try to enter again. I just passed them on my way without even being curious about tf they wrote.
How people are not embarrassed? I'll dig a grave before going to an embassy and ask for such things. πππππππππ
Edit: it's not a fake story, it indeed happened to me. I would have take a video as a form of evidence but I didn't take one.
Thinking just gg's as new bg's haven't really broken through at all yet.
Let me caveat this with being known isn't what I see as being popular at this moment in time. We all know a lot of famous singers whose music isn't popular anymore.
I'd think it go:
-
BP - even with no release I don't think this can be argued against. Lovesick Girls did well pretty much the entire year, Rose did well, Jennie trends all over SK anytime she does anything and remains the most popular individual idol etc. When/if they drop this year I'm sure it'll do numbers digitally and will probably break 2m sales. I think fandom wise they are as big as any gg there as well. If they tour this year it'll prove that. Twice were recently going to do 3 dates at KSPO Dome at half capacity when they'd usually do 2 at full capacity, so even if BP stayed stagnant in the year fandom wise I think they'd still have the biggest as Twice's fandom isn't what it was.
-
Aespa - had the most successful year in SK. I think they are a comfortably number two at this moment. There members also have individual popularity. Their SM station track charts better than 99% of groups.
-
OMG - After Next Level, Dun Dun Dance is the best performing gg song released in 2021 (though in the long run, Ive might win out as 2nd). Dolphin is arguably the biggest gg song in 2020 in SK and Dun Dun Dance is 2nd in 2021. They've proven 2020 wasn't a one-off. They also have popular individual members in SK, with Arin having a Soju CF. You feel it's not a coincidence that there rise has coincided with Twice's move away from SK.
I think the top 3 are fairly obvious at the moment, with below that being tricky.
If Ive have a successful follow up (something StayC couldn't do with Stereotype to ASAP) I'd have them 4th. Their members have been going viral a lot in SK so it definitely feels like they're here to stay. Wonyoung already feels very established now, up there with the likes of Karina.
You'd probably have Brave Girls, RV and Twice somewhere around there as well. RV have some individual success in 2021 with Joy doing pretty well, whilst Queendom did decently as well after such a big break you'd think they would have come back with more hype and anticipation. Feels like their attention is being cannibalised by Aespa's dominance. Everyone knows Twice are not what they used to be in SK. Alcohol Free did decently like Queendom but The Scientist did incredibly badly and The Feels also. Even worldwide, despite numbers inc
... keep reading on reddit β‘
current status:
private gatherings - up to 4 people
unvaccinated people can't go to restaurants with others
unvaccinated people can't enter these places: Bars, Karaoke, gyms, spa, casinos, restaurants (with others), cafes (with others), movie theaters, sports venues, museums, libraries
unvaccinated people can't enter supermarkets from January 10, 2022
95 percent of adults are vaccinated
40 percent of adults got third doses
Coronavirus Disease-19(COVID-19), Republic of Korea (mohw.go.kr)
The Korean government is pushing vaccines so hard and nobody cares. Everyone is willingly following the orders. Truly, it's fascinating how submissive they are. No protest or whatsoever. Now I only have one friend. It's killing me. I can't even write like I used to.
