2026 will be a crucial year for South Korean K-Pop album exports worldwide. K-Pop album exports reached a record high this year. According to the Korea Times on Friday (July 17, 2026), government data shows a massive surge in global K-Pop album exports.
One key factor is the release of BTS's fifth studio album, Arirang. According to data from the Korea Customs Service, K-Pop album exports reached US$257.48 million from January to June 2026.
This figure represents a 125% increase compared to the same period last year. The United States was recorded as the world's largest importer of K-Pop albums during the first six months of 2026.
Total transactions reached USD 74.12 billion. China ranked second with imports reaching USD 61.18 million. Japan ranked third with imports of USD 45.61 million. The same data also lists the top 10 export destinations for K-Pop albums.
Indonesia is not included. Besides the three already mentioned, there are also Germany, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, and Poland.
A key factor in the rise in K-Pop album exports abroad, according to Circle Chart, BTS's Arirang album has shipped 4,224,016 copies. Besides BTS, ENHYPEN, Cortis, BLACKPINK, and TXT also have the highest number of K-Pop album shipments.
For the record, Circle Chart records album distribution data, including shipments and returns from distributors to retailers/retailers. The figures they provide do not reflect the number of albums sold directly to fans.
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