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K-pop album exports surpass $100 million for first time in Q1

Published: 28 Apr. 2026, 10:30

Boy band Seventeen perform at the finale concert of the band's ″New″ world tour at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium on April 6. [PLEDIS ENTERTAINMENT]

Korea's exports of K-pop albums hit a record high of $120 million in the first quarter of this year, customs data showed on Tuesday.

Outbound shipments of K-pop albums surged 159 percent from a year earlier in the January to March period, marking the first time quarterly exports have exceeded $100 million, according to the Korea Customs Service.

Quarterly exports have set consecutive records since the third quarter of 2025, the agency said.

The customs agency attributed the increase to the global expansion of K-pop fandoms, as well as growing demand for physical albums amid fatigue with digital streaming.

The United States was the largest market, accounting for 28 percent of total exports, overtaking Japan, which had held the top spot until last year.

The European Union came next with 16.5 percent, followed by China with 14.4 percent and Taiwan with 6.9 percent, the latest findings showed.

Of the 131 countries that imported K-pop albums in the first quarter, 94 recorded their highest-ever quarterly imports, indicating broad-based growth rather than concentration in a few markets, the customs agency said.

Yonhap