Welcome to Fan Chant, a weekly column for K-pop fans, stans, and newbies alike. Each week, I’ll be rolling out interviews, lists, and all kinds of content to keep you in the loop on the latest and greatest from our friends in Seoul and beyond. Also, make sure to subscribe to my companion newsletter!
At its core, I simply believe that being a K-pop fan should be fun. Think about why you got into your ult group — whether it was the music, the thrilling music videos, or the immaculate vibes between members, odds are there was something that made you smile and want to keep tuning in. For the chronically online among us — myself absolutely included — it’s easy to get caught up in release goals, voting, and the ever-present charts that circulate fandoms.
This week, I found myself thinking about that last point; charts can definitely be helpful and insightful, but they’re also sometimes an outdated way of looking at artists and their work. Like awards shows, it’s always nice to see faves getting the kind of accolades they deserve, but wins and losses shouldn’t be the be all and end all when it comes to supporting artists we love.
Similarly, for any American K-pop fans, it’s good to remember that a whole world exists beyond Billboard charts or annual (often archaic) awards shows. Thanks to my TikTok algorithm, I was recently put onto some of the charts that reflect South Korea’s domestic data, specifically MelOn and Genie. As someone who gravitates way too easily to boy groups, the data was majorly eye opening: 2022 listeners are super here for the girl groups.
What Are the MelOn and Genie Charts?
The MelOn and Genie charts reflect listeners on these two South Korean streaming platforms. Like the social accounts that update us on Spotify data, these charts report numbers from users who are streaming away on these sites — the latest stats from MelOn, for example, boast over 28 million users on the platform. Like Spotify, MelOn users can stream and download music. They can also create ringtones out of music, which is adorable and enviable. Genius, meanwhile, is the second-most utilized platform in South Korea.
Naturally, it should come as no surprise that BTS hold most of the long-time records on both platforms, MelOn in particular — “Spring Day,” you will always be famous! “Dynamite,” you came and did what you had to do!
What Are These Charts Saying Lately?
The most recent update of combined data from the above charts is illuminating. There are so many different ways to frame the ways we consume music, and an interesting one is by zooming in on the idea of Unique Listeners. While there may be fandoms with larger and more enthusiastic followings, Unique Listeners is one way to examine domestic popularity.