Girls' Generation, Psy emerge as bestselling artists in Korea for first half of 2013

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

Girls' Generation dominated albums sales in Korea while rappers Psy and Baechigi led in digital rankings for the first half of 2013.

Gaon Chart, Korea's version of Billboard, has released the rankings for January to June 2013 of album sales, digital singles and online downloads.

(Clockwise from the top) Girls' Generation, Psy and Baechigi (Photos by www.newsen.com)

In album sales, Girls' Generation's "I Got A Boy," which was released last Jan. 1, sold 285,090 copies to top the rankings.

Legendary singer Cho Yong-pil, who started his singing career in 1969, came second with his album "Hello" selling 229,875 copies.

Rookie boy band EXO copped three places in the Top 50 Albums chart. Their "XOXO" album sold 206,812 to rank third while the Chinese version of the album placed at No. 5 with 172,144 copies sold. EXO M's first mini-album "MAMA" ranked 27th with 21,750 copies in sales.

SHINee's comeback album "Chapter 1-Dream Girl" ranked fourth with 183,395 copies sold and the follow-up "Chapter 2-Why So Serious?" ranked eight with 129,376 copies sold.

Boy band Infinite's "New Challenge" is sixth with 160,374 copies sold.

JYJ member Jaejoong's solo album "I" placed seventh with 144,927 copies sold while his "Y" album ranked 16th with 62,000 copies in sales.

CNBLUE ranked ninth with "Re:BLUE" selling 129,376 copies while 2PM ranked 10th with "Grown" selling 120,629 copies for the first half of 2013.

In digital singles, Psy's "Gentleman" ranked first. The digital singles chart is based on streaming, download, BGM and mobile sales volume.

Hip hop dueo Baechigi's "Shower of Tears" ranked second followed by SISTAR19's "Gone Not Around Any Longer,"

Leessang's "Tears," Roy Kim's "Spring Spring Spring," Huh Gak's "Monodrama," Davichi's "Turtle," 4Minute's "What's Your Name?," Girls' Generation's "I Got A Boy" and Akdong Musician's "Crescendo."

Ranking 11th to 20th are K.Will's "Love Blossom," Davichi's "Be Warmed," The One's "Winter Love," CNBLUE's "I'm Sorry," Busker Busker's "Cherry Blossom Ending," Lyn's "Tonight," Akdong Musician's "I Love You," Lee Hi's "Rose," Gummy's "Snowflakes" and Cho Yong-pil's "Bounce."

In online downloads, Baechigi's "Shower of Tears" is No. 1 followed by SISTAR19's "Gone Not Around Any Longer," Leessang's "Tears," Huh Gak's "Monodrama," Psy's "Gentleman," Girls' Generation's "I Got A Boy," Roy Kim's "Spring Spring Spring," Davichi's "Turtle," 4Minute's "What's Your Name?" and SISTAR's "Give It To Me."

Here are the Top 20 albums in Korea for the first half of 2013, according to Gaon Chart:  

 1. "I Got A Boy" - Girls' Generation - 285,090

2. "Hello" - Cho Yong Pil - 229,875

3. "XOXO (Kiss Ver.)" - EXO - 206,812

4. "Chapter 1 - Dream Girl" - SHINee - 183,395

5. "XOXO (Hug Ver." (Chinese) - EXO - 172,144

6. "New Challenge" - Infinite - 160,374

7. "I" - Jaejoong - 144,927

8. "Chapter 2 - Why So Serious?" - SHINee - 129,376

9. "Re:BLUE" - CNBLUE - 120,629

10. "Grown" - 2PM - 114,028

11. "What's Happening?" - B1A4 -92,564

12. "Fly High" - Infinite H - 92,394

13. "One Shot" - B.A.P - 82,222

14. "No.1" - Teen Top - 79,057

15. "The Classic" - Shinhwa - 74,101

16. "Y" - Jaejoong - 62,000

17. "Break Down" - Super Junior-M - 51,618

18.  "Hyde" - VIXX - 41,110

19. "Sexy Beat" - MBLAQ - 36,379

20. "One Of A Kind" - G-Dragon - 30,460

Link to my original article on Manila Bulletin online:
http://mb.com.ph/Entertainment/Entertainment_Main/22787/Girls#.Uhsvuxs2Y4d

Email me at sangchusan(at)gmail.com