SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – DECEMBER 16: South Korean girl group IVE attend the 2022 KBS Song Festival at … [+]
South Korean girl group IVE has easily taken the top spot on this week’s Circle Album Chart with their latest release I’ve IVE, which arrives with a massive opening sales sum.
The Circle Album Chart, formerly known as the Gaon chart, released its weekly rankings recently, and it is clear that there was no real competition facing IVE’s first full-length album. The set, I’ve IVE, debuts at No. 1 on the chart, selling 1,385,998 copies. This immediate win marks their fourth champion on the chart.
The runner-up, LOVESTRUCK! by fellow K-pop girls group Kep1er, enjoyed a promising start in terms of sales, but ultimately fell short of claiming the top spot. During its debut week, the set managed to sell a total of 142,761 copies.
With over 1.3 million units sold, I’ve IVE earns the second-biggest first-week debut album sales on the Circle chart in 2023, following TWICE’s READY TO BE, according to AllKPop. IVE’s sales figures are incredibly impressive given that the group only made their debut in December 2021.
The album I’ve IVE was fronted by the what’s known as a pre-release single “Kitsch” and then an official lead single “I Am.” “Kitsch” quickly worked its way up to No. 1 on the Circle Digital Chart, while “I Am” stalled one rung shy of the top spot.
All three of IVE’s single albums — “Eleven,” “Love Dive,” and “After Like” — have also hit No. 1 on the Circle Album Chart. Taking that information into account, the success of I’ve IVE is not entirely surprising considering the group’s past accomplishments.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2023/04/20/k-pop-girl-group-ive-scores-a-massive-new-no-1-album-in-korea-with-ive-ive/