Stray Kids Achieve Seventh Consecutive No. 1 on Billboard Album Chart...Efforts to Strengthen Rights Protection for K-Pop Performers

The K-pop industry continues to show steady growth through strong chart performance and improved institutional frameworks. Stray Kids secured the top spot on the U.S. Billboard main album chart, the Billboard 200, with their fourth studio album “Karma,” released on August 22. This marks the group’s seventh No. 1 on the chart. Notably, Stray Kids became the first artist in the 69-year history of the Billboard 200, which began in March 1956, to have seven albums reach No. 1 in a row after debuting at that position. This achievement surpasses the records held by BTS, Linkin Park, and the Dave Matthews Band, who each had six consecutive No. 1 albums. “Karma” sold 313,000 copies in the United States during its first week of release, making it the third-best-selling album of the year so far. Meanwhile, as “KPop Demon Hunters” gains global success, interest in K-pop is expanding even in the United States. Following the massive success of Sony Pictures Animation’s “KPop Demon Hunters,” major agencies such as HYBE and YG Entertainment are holding large-scale auditions in the Bay Area. HYBE’s subsidiary, Pledis, will conduct auditions at dance studios in Fremont and San Jose on September 12–13, open to anyone born after 2007. YG Entertainment will hold auditions in San Jose on September 24 for participants born between 2007 and 2014. Improvements to the systems that form the foundation of the music industry are also advancing rapidly. The Korean Music Performers Association (KMPA) set a new milestone by exceeding 50,000 members. Wendy of Red Velvet became the 50,000th member in this historic milestone, followed by her fellow group member from the same agency, Nine, who became the 50,001st member. At the commemoration event, Wendy expressed gratitude, saying, “I am thankful for the association’s efforts to protect the rights and welfare of music performers.” She added, “I am happy to be part of such a meaningful occasion, and I will strive to grow as an artist who can connect closely with the public.” Established in 1988, the KMPA oversees the protection of rights and the collection of royalties for singers, musicians, vocalists, conductors, and other music performers. President Lee Jeonghyeon stated, “We are working hard to create an environment where music performers, who have driven the quantitative and qualitative growth of Korea’s music industry, can create freely.” She emphasized, “We will do our best not only in collecting and distributing royalties, which is our core role, but also in providing support for their activities, so that more music performers who are not yet members can join us.” The KMPA does not charge membership fees and offers a variety of benefits for its members, including royalty collection and distribution, as well as support for special occasions, welfare funds for senior members, condolence payments, and assistance with resort usage. This achievement of reaching 50,000 members not only demonstrates the quantitative and qualitative growth of Korea’s music industry but also shows that systems for protecting artists’ rights are continuously being strengthened.