Le Sserafim sets record for K-pop girl group’s debut album sales

Girl group Le Sserafim [SOURCE MUSIC]

Le Sserafim set a new record for a K-pop girl group’s debut album sales, according to Source Music and Hanteo Chart on Monday.

Le Sserafim’s debut EP “Fearless” which dropped on May 2 sold 307,450 copies in the past week, the most for any debuting girl group in terms of first week sales. It sold 176,861 copies on the first day alone, which also set a new record for first-day sales for a female group’s debut.

“This is the new highest record by a debuting girl group in the first week, and ninth highest ever for a girl group’s first-week sales,” said Source music.

One of this year’s most-anticipated K-pop debuts, Le Sserafim is produced by Source Music, a label under K-pop powerhouse HYBE known for boy band BTS. It consists of six members: Miyawaki Sakura, Kim Ga-ram, Kim Chae-won, Hong Eun-chae, Kazuha and Huh Yun-jin. Sakura and Kim Chae-won are known as former members of girl group IZ*ONE, a project girl group formed by the 12 finalists of Mnet’s hit idol audition program “Produce 48” (2018). Huh was also a contestant on "Produce 48."

Only five other K-pop girl groups — Blackpink, Red Velvet, IZ*ONE, IVE and Twice — have sold over 300,000 copies in the first week of their music's release. Le Sserafim is the first to reach that number with its debut release.

BY HALEY YANG [yang.hyunjoo@joongang.co.kr]