Swift Next Is NewJeans... US Fans Loyal to K-Pop Buy Merch Even If They Can't Attend Concerts

Luminate 2023 Annual Report
Average Monthly Spending of 30,000 KRW... About 10,000 KRW More Than J-Pop Fans

It has been revealed that K-pop fans in the United States spend $24 per month (about 30,000 KRW) on artist merchandise, also known as goods. This amount is 140% higher (2.4 times) than the average monthly spending of American listeners and $8 more per month compared to J-pop fans.

U.S. music market analysis firm Luminate introduced the K-pop merchandise market as a "big business" in its "2023 Annual Report" released on the 10th (local time) (data collection period: December 30, 2022 ? December 28, 2023).

140,000 Attend Three-Day KCON LA, the Largest K-Pop Festival in the U.S.
[Photo by CJ ENM]

In fact, among the top 10 CD sales rankings in the U.S. included in this report, seven albums were by K-pop artists, excluding three albums by Taylor Swift. The group NewJeans' second EP, "Get Up," ranked 5th. This is the highest ranking among K-pop female artist albums and the second highest overall among female artists, following Taylor Swift's "1989 (Taylor's Version)" which holds the top spot.

The report viewed the consumption behavior of K-pop fans as characteristic of "super fans," who hold an important position in the U.S. music industry. Super fans are an active fan base that engages with artists in various ways, including streaming, social media, merchandise purchases, and attending concerts.

Even when U.S. K-pop fans were unable to attend music events such as concerts, they purchased related merchandise 50% more than average listeners.

According to Yonhap News, Luminate analyst Hailey Jones mentioned in a webinar related to the report, "K-pop fans are very loyal and passionate," adding, "The proportion of super fans is likely quite high."

Fans gathered to watch the K-pop girl group 'NewJeans' perform at Chicago Lollapalooza
Photo by Yonhap News

Additionally, the editor-in-chief of Mimyoo Idology noted, "K-pop fans in the U.S. are spread mainly among minorities," and suggested, "Many consume artist merchandise as a form of identity expression to do something different from the mainstream."

The local K-pop market in the U.S. continued its steady growth last year as well. World music, including K-pop, grew by 26.2% year-over-year in U.S. on-demand audio streaming.

In line with this trend, the number of K-pop artists performing in the U.S. is also increasing. The group Stray Kids was selected as Group and Duo of the Year at the 2023 People's Choice Awards held in the U.S. on February 18.

Twice, which ranked on a total of six charts including the comprehensive album chart "Billboard 200 Albums" with "Ready to Be" and "Between 1&2" in Billboard's 2023 year-end summary chart, is also scheduled to hold a world tour in Las Vegas, U.S., in March.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.