[Asia Economy Reporter Ji Yeon-jin] As major artists resume their activities in the second half of the year, SM is expected to break its highest-ever sales record this year.
According to the financial investment industry on the 22nd, SM recorded sales of 169.4 billion KRW in the first quarter, surpassing the previous year's quarterly sales (154.2 billion KRW). FnGuide also forecasts that second-quarter sales will exceed 190 billion KRW, surpassing last year's sales.
Idol group NCT Dream's full-length second album repackage Beatbox, released on the 30th of last month, has been gaining popularity, ranking first on the World Chart compiled by Media Traffic, a global album sales tracking site, on the 17th. Beatbox swept various charts immediately upon release, including No. 1 on domestic album and digital music charts, five music show wins, No. 1 on Japan's Line Music Album Top 100 chart, No. 1 in the Korean section of China's QQ Music digital album sales and music video charts, and No. 1 on the Korean singles charts of Singapore and Malaysia's KKBOX.
Next month, the 'metaverse girl group' aespa's second mini album Girls will be released simultaneously in Korea and the United States. Pre-orders have already exceeded one million copies, and the market expects sales to surpass 1.5 million copies. Having officially entered the U.S. market this year through a contract with the global record company Warner Records, aespa was also selected as Apple Music's 'Up Next' artist for June. Up Next is a program that selects and announces the most promising rising star of the month among new artists worldwide.
Aespa will start with their first sold-out showcase in Los Angeles, USA, on the 26th and 27th of this month, followed by a showcase at Yokohama Pia Arena MM in Japan on July 6th and 7th, which attracted 400,000 pre-registrations. From July 15th to 17th, Super Junior will hold their ninth 'Super Show' at the Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium in Seoul.
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