Album sales are just one of the identifying factors of an idol group or idol's popularity. It's also the basis of several music charts. Because compared to YouTube views, an album sale means that fans like the music enough to pay for it.
Apart from physical sales, digital paid streamings and downloads are also taken into consideration, especially now, where almost everyone relies on Spotify and iTunes for quick music fixes.
Today's list rounds up the best-selling songs from K-pop idol groups and soloists in history based on the data gathered by Korea's No. 1 music chart, Gaon.
Girls' Generation "Hoot"
Date of release: October 27, 2010
One hundred ninety-nine thousand six hundred copies sold.
TWICE "The Story Begins"
Date of release: October 20, 2015
Two hundred two thousand five hundred copies sold.
IU "Love Poem"
Date of release: November 18, 2019
Two hundred sixteen thousand four hundred copies sold.
Girls' Generation "Oh"
Date of release: January 28, 2010
Two hundred forty-two thousand five hundred copies sold.
TWICE "Merry & Happy"
Date of release: December 11, 2017
Two hundred fifty-three thousand eight hundred copies sold.
IZ*ONE "COLOR*IZ"
Date of release: October 29, 2018
Two hundred sixty-five thousand nine hundred copies sold.
IZ*ONE "HEART*IZ"
Date of release: April 1, 2019
Two hundred ninety-four thousand five hundred copies sold.
Girls' Generation "I Got A Boy"
Date of release: January 1, 2013
Three hundred eleven thousand three hundred copies sold.
BLACKPINK "Square Up"
Date of release: June 15, 2018
Three hundred thirteen thousand five hundred copies sold.
TWICE "Page Two"
Date of release: April 25, 2016
Three hundred sixteen thousand six hundred copies sold.
TWICE "Twicecoaster: Lane 2"
Date of release: February 20, 2017
Three hundred fifty-three thousand one hundred copies sold.
BLACKPINK "Kill This Love"
Date of release: April 5, 2019
Three hundred seventy-one thousand six hundred copies sold.
TWICE "Yes or Yes"
Date of release: November 5, 2018
Three hundred seventy-eight thousand six hundred copies sold.
TWICE "Summer Nights"
Date of release: July 9, 2018
Three hundred seventy-eight thousand seven hundred copies sold.
TWICE "Signal"
Date of release: May 15, 2017
Three hundred eighty-five thousand three hundred copies sold.
TWICE "Twicetagram"
Date of release: October 30, 2017
Three hundred ninety-one thousand copies sold.
TWICE "Fancy You"
Date of release: April 22, 2019
Four hundred fourteen thousand copies sold.
TWICE "What Is Love?"
Date of release: April 9, 2018
Four hundred fourteen thousand seven hundred copies sold.
TWICE "Feel Special"
Date of release: September 23, 2019
Four hundred forty-nine thousand five hundred copies sold.
Girls' Generation "The Boys"
Date of release: October 19, 2011
Four hundred sixty-six thousand nine hundred copies sold.
"Twicecoaster: Lane 1"
Date of release: October 24, 2016
Four hundred seventy-seven thousand seven hundred copies sold.
IZ*ONE "BLOOM*IZ"
Date of release: February 17, 2020
Four hundred eighty-three thousand seven hundred copies sold.
IZ*ONE "Oneiric Diary"
Date of release: June 15, 2020
Five hundred thirty-seven thousand eight hundred copies sold.
TWICE "MORE & MORE"
Date of release: June 1, 2020
Five hundred sixty-three thousand six hundred copies sold.