Miracle of K-Pop, Hive-BTS' Cascading Growth and Innovation
Koreansilvertimes - One of the reasons that can directly prove the increase in the size of the fandom is the 'album' score. In the case of digital music, it is relatively easy to access even if you are not a core fan, but unlike the record, core fans are very likely to purchase it.
The History of K-pop through 'Hanteo Chart' - Hive
In recent years, it is impossible not to acknowledge 'BTS' belonging to Hive as a representative artist who has made very clear results in the global physical album market. In particular, their 'Total Cumulative Sales Record' and 'Initial Chodong Sales Record*' clearly shows the artist's growth.
Hive's other artists, including BTS, are also proving their global popularity through various data from Hanteo Chart.
For reference, the Initial Chodong sales amount refers to the sales volume for 7 days from the release date of the album, and it is data that can directly measure the firepower of the core fandom who waits and buys the album. Most global fandoms make both advance reservations and on-site purchases in line with the release date of the album. Hanteo Chart explained, "Total sales volume is data that can measure the artist's sustainable growth following the increase in the size of fandoms around the world after the Initial Chodong period."
Until Chairman Bang Shi-hyeok of 'Bangbuji' was Born
Hive was started by Big Hit Entertainment, a company founded by Bang Si-hyuk in 2005. Hive's 'father', Bang Shi-hyeok, previously established himself as a producer at JYP Entertainment. It is impossible not to remember him as a composer or producer before he became an entrepreneur called 'Chairman Bang Si-hyuk'. This is because there are not one or two 'hot artists who passed through the hands of Bang Si-hyuk.
Among them, there is god, which is considered a representative national group. According to Hanteo Chart, in the early 2000s, when he was working with Bang Si-hyuk, god set a record by placing 2nd with 1,923,792 copies of annual total album sales (2000) and 1st with 1,975,347 copies (2001, excluding omnibus albums).
In addition, he continued his reputation as a producer and composer by working with JYP artists such as Park Ji-yoon, Byul, Rain, and 2AM, as well as Kan Mi-yeon, T-ara, Teen Top, and Davichi.
Bang Si-hyuk, who founded Big Hit, debuted the mixed group 8eight as the first artist in 2007, and six years later, in 2013, debuted the first boy group BTS.
Step-like Growth for Each Series, BTS
At the beginning of their debut, BTS did not receive much attention. According to Hanteo Chart, the Initial Chodong sales of BTS' debut album '2 COOL 4 SKOOL' was only 772 copies. However, BTS' annual total album sales for the year (2013) was 42,001 copies, a record that cannot be called weak considering that they are new artists. The following year, in 2014, he ranked 10th on the annual artist chart with total album sales of 160,696 copies per year.
In 2015, BTS began to be imprinted on the public in earnest by introducing the 'Hwayangyeonhwa' series. Along with the new stories of 'Youth' and 'Growth', BTS achieved Initial Chodong sales of 55,520 copies with 'When My Love Blooms pt.1' and 86,592 copies with 'When My Love Blooms pt.2'. Compared to the debut album, it has grown about 112 times. That year, BTS jumped to number two on the total annual album sales chart.
And at the same time as starting the 'LOVE YOURSELF' series, he was reborn as the No. 1 artist. Since winning the title of No. 1 artist on the annual album chart in 2017 (total album sales of 1,758,109 copies), he has not missed the No. 1 spot for five consecutive years until 2021.
'LOVE YOURSELF 轉 'Tear'' sold 1,003,524 copies in the first week, 1,606,340 copies in total, and 'MAP OF THE SOUL: PERSONA' in the first week Sales of 2,130,480 copies, with total sales of 2,904,346 copies, 'MAP OF THE SOUL: 7' recorded Initial Chodong sales of 3,378,633 copies and total sales of 4,089,986 copies, making the Initial Chodong sales triple From a million-seller to a quadruple million-seller in total sales, they set all-time records in K-pop, from performance to growth.
Along with such rapid growth, BTS has also solidified its position as a 'global artist'. Starting from 'When My Love Blooms', the number of YouTube views of BTS videos and the number of subscribers to live broadcasting apps have increased exponentially.
Prior to BTS, they proved their global popularity and fandom firepower by winning Hanteo Chart's 'Global Certification Chart'. In particular, in the first half of 2021, despite not releasing a physical album, it topped the global certification chart with the album 'BE' as the main axis.
Having secured a strong fandom and recognition both domestically and abroad, BTS played a big role in putting K-pop at the forefront of the global market.
Hive Label Leading the Diversity of K-Pop
Big Hit, which grew along with the growth and success of BTS, faced another phase by changing its name to 'Hive' in 2021. Of course, prior to that, in 2019, TOMORROW X TOGETHER debuted about 6 years after the debut of BTS, and based on the know-how of BTS' success, they also achieved rapid growth.
According to Hanteo Chart, BTS achieved the Million Sellers in Initial Chodong sales achieved through 12 albums, while TXT achieved it with only 7 albums.
Hive, which successfully debuted Big Hit's new artists, established 'Belief Lab' (2018) as a joint investment with CJ ENM. Subsequently, it expanded its scale by establishing an affiliated label system such as the acquisition of 'Source Music' (2019), the label incorporation of 'Pledis Entertainment (2020), and the establishment of a subsidiary 'Adore' (2021). In particular, Pledis Entertainment is the agency of SEVENTEEN, a group whose Initial Chodong sales of the 4th regular album 'Face the Sun' exceeded 2 million copies.
Starting with ENHYPEN of Belipri Lab last year, Hive debuted Source Music's LE SSERAFIM and Ador's New Jeans this year.
ENHYPEN became a 'Million Seller' about a year after their debut with their 1st regular album 'DIMENSION: DILEMMA', and Le Seraphim recorded the highest Initial Chodong sales among 'New Girl Groups Debuting in 2022', and New Jeans took first place in Initial Chodong (first week of release) sales for the girl group's debut album.
At the same time as their debut, all three groups reaped terrifyingly good results, unlike rookies, continuing to shake Hive's prestige, and at the same time, they succeeded in the diversity of K-pop pursued by the Hive label.
Although this is not limited to 'K-pop'. On the 7th at Hive Labels Japan, Hive Japanese group &TEAM will debut. It is expanding its global music influence.
Hive says growth is “together with the ‘Hive community,’ not only artists but also fans and partners in various industries.”
“Evolving together with the various actors in our community is much more difficult than running fast alone to a destination with a clear destination. Nevertheless, Hive will evolve with you."(Hive CEO Park Ji-won)
"Hive's DNA is not to be afraid of new things. At the same time, there is an unchanging 'ground rule' that has been followed since Big Hit Entertainment, the predecessor of Hive, and we want to give fans more than what they have experienced in the past and do that." The rule is that the quality of content presented should always be the best we can create.”
Hive, which dreams of becoming a 'lifestyle platform company' through music, has a short history, but this is why we are still looking forward to the future of Hive, which has revolutionized the music industry.