K-Pop Market in 2025: Dominance of NewJeans and ILLIT, with Diverse New Groups Leading in 2026

The K-Pop market in 2025 saw a prominent strength among new-generation girl groups, and it is expected that various new groups across different genres will take control of the market in 2026.

Last year, according to the Circle Digital Chart, singer Wooz’s “Drowning” topped the list as the most popular song, accumulating approximately 687.3 million points. This song was originally released in 2023 but only gained popularity in 2025.

The growth of new-generation girl groups is particularly notable. NewJeans, which made its debut in 2022, sold over 8.1 million album copies in the domestic market. ILLIT, which debuted in March 2024, sold around 1.2 million copies in its first year. NewJeans set the fastest record among K-Pop groups to reach 1 billion streams on streaming platform Spotify in 2023. In addition, popular girl groups such as IVE and aespa also achieved high album sales figures.

Among male groups, despite their dominance on music charts, they show strength in physical album sales. In 2025, Stray Kids sold approximately 3.4 million copies of their album “Karma.” Other male K-Pop groups such as SEVENTEEN and ENHYPEN also recorded high album sales figures. BTS, which has gained global fame, sold 9 million album copies alone in 2020, but sales declined in 2023 due to individual member solo activities and mandatory military service.

As 2026 approaches, the K-Pop market is entering a new chapter. CORTIS, under Big Hit Music, debuted as a “young creator crew” rather than a traditional idol group. Comprising five members, they present a sound based on trap and southern hip-hop, combined with experimental soul and psychedelic rock. They released their first EP, “Color Outside the Lines,” in September 2025. This album reached position 15 on the Billboard 200 and sold over 1.06 million copies within three months.

ALPHA DRIVE ONE, formed through Mnet’s survival show “Boys to Planet,” is considered one of the most anticipated new groups in K-Pop for 2026. Selected from 160 applicants across 223 countries through 26 million votes, this eight-member group built a significant global fan base even before their official debut. They released their debut mini-album “EUPHORIA” on January 12.

CLOSE YOUR EYES, formed through “Project 7,” also emerged as a notable new group in K-Pop in 2025. This seven-member group, managed by UNCORE, a subsidiary of YG Plus, debuted on April 2, 2025, and has since established a strong global fan base.