SEVENTEEN, the powerhouse group consisting of S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, The8, Mingyu, DK, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino, continues to reign supreme in the music scene.

In the latest Circle Chart 2024 First Half rankings released on July 12, SEVENTEEN's blockbuster album "17 IS RIGHT HERE" secured the top spot.

The album's standard edition alone sold more than 3.08 million copies, making SEVENTEEN the only group to achieve triple million seller status in the first half of the year. Including sales from the Weverse edition (ranked 38th) and the kit version (ranked 48th), total sales surpassed an impressive 3.5 million copies.

SEVENTEEN's special unit project, Jeonghan X Wonwoo's single album "THIS MAN," also performed remarkably well. The standard edition ranked 20th and the Weverse edition 43rd, with combined sales nearing 790,000 copies. This is particularly notable considering it was released late last month with a short tracking period.

In addition to their recent releases, SEVENTEEN's earlier albums from 2024 also made significant strides on the charts. Their 2022 full-length album "Face the Sun" sold over 200,000 copies, securing the 47th spot in the first half album rankings. Furthermore, their 9th mini album "Attacca" (67th) and 11th mini album "SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN" (71st) both made it into the top 100 albums.

SEVENTEEN made headlines last year by setting a new record in K-pop history for the highest single album sales with their 10th mini album "FML," topping the annual album chart. Their 11th mini album released the same year also achieved record-breaking initial sales figures. By the end of 2023, SEVENTEEN's cumulative album sales had exceeded an impressive 16 million copies.

Fans are eagerly awaiting SEVENTEEN's upcoming album in the second half of this year, hoping to see them achieve "ten million seller" status once again.

SEVENTEEN also made their mark on the Circle Chart's global K-pop rankings for the first half of 2024, with a total of 7 songs, including the title track "MAESTRO." They secured positions on the digital, download, and streaming charts with 4 songs each, showcasing their broad appeal and enduring popularity.

Source: [1]

NewJeans' Minji touched fans' hearts with a handwritten letter on her birthday — even while the group is currently unable to promote due to legal issues.

On May 7, Minji celebrated her birthday by sharing a heartfelt message on the group’s personal SNS account, which the members opened themselves to stay connected with fans.

Minji began her letter with honesty, writing, “I think I’m living a busier life than I expected. When I finally looked up, it was already May, and it was my birthday.”

She admitted that she had a lot she wanted to say, but her thoughts felt “messy.” Still, her message to fans was clear, “I just hope that I, our members, and Bunnies can all be happy. Happiness is the biggest goal in my life.”

Minji then opened up about her personal journey and struggles, saying, “I sometimes think that running toward my happiness by doing what I love might look foolish to others. But isn’t giving up your happiness now for the sake of a future that might not even come… too harsh on yourself?”

Despite everything, she ended on a hopeful note, “I really miss the times when we shared our feelings through the good music we made together. But I always look forward to what’s ahead."

She added, "We didn’t stop here, and we’re not going to stop! It might look like we’re standing still, but I believe we’re growing deeper.”

Her message comes during a difficult time for NewJeans. The group announced last year that they were cutting ties with ADOR, their original agency, after trust was broken. They later began working independently under the new name ‘NJZ’.

However, ADOR responded with legal action — claiming the exclusive contract with NewJeans was still valid and asking the court to stop the group from promoting or signing deals.

The court sided with ADOR and granted an injunction, forcing NewJeans to pause their activities. Their appeal was rejected, and they’ve now filed a second appeal.

Through it all, Minji’s message proves one thing — even when forced to stop, NewJeans' hearts are still moving forward.

Source: [1]