Korean soloists have created some serious collections of bops! Just ask BTS’ Jungkook and V, along with some legendary names in the country’s entertainment industry. From timeless ballads of the ’80s and ’90s to modern-day chart-toppers, this top 10 list showcases the best-selling albums by Korean solo artists who have left their mark:
10. Jo Sung-mo – For Your Soul (1999) This album sold 2.04 million copies. His impact on Korean ballad music is undeniable.
09. Jo Sung-mo – Let Me Love (2000) With 2.07 million copies sold, “Let Me Love” became a ballad anthem early in the millennium.
08. Jo Kwan-woo – Memory (1995) A classic album that sold 2.1 million copies.
07. V – LAYOVER (2023) BTS member, V, also made the list with “LAYOVER,” released in 2023. Selling 2.4 million copies, it is the second most successful solo effort among the group.
06. Shin Seung-hun – To Heaven (1996) Selling 2.47 million copies, “To Heaven” captured the emotions of a generation in the 90s.
05. Kim Jong-hwan – Reason for Existence (1996) With 2.5 million copies sold, this album became a symbol of the ‘90s K-pop ballad era.
04. Lee Moon-sae – Standing Under the Shade of a Roadside Tree (1988) This classic album sold 2.58 million copies, making Lee Moon-sae an iconic balladeer.
03. Lee Moon-sae – When Love Passes By (1987) Released in the late ’80s, this timeless record by Lee Moon-sae racked up sales of 2.85 million.
02. Kim Gun-mo – Wrongful Meeting (1995) The album that held the crown for nearly three decades, “Wrongful Meeting,” sold 2.86 million copies, making it a massive hit in its time
01. Jungkook – GOLDEN (2023) BTS’ Jungkook debut solo album, “GOLDEN,” shattered a 29-year-old record with over 2.9 million copies sold. Jungkook’s solo work has now claimed the throne as the best-selling album by a Korean soloist!
JUNGKOOK's "Golden" is now the Best Selling Album by a K-pop Soloist of All Time.
— This breaks the 29-year record held by Kim Gun-Mo's 'Wrongful Meeting'! pic.twitter.com/otu26f19Y2
— Pop Core (@TheePopCore) November 9, 2024
