by In line with the global K-pop craze, the popularity of Korean pop songs is now ranked by global fans.
The global K-pop popularity chart comprehensively reflects the popularity of domestic music sites such as Melon, Genie, Bugs, Flo, and Vibe, as well as data from global music platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and TikTok, which will be launched in earnest.
The Korea Music Content Association (from now on referred to as ‘Umkon Association’) held a global K-pop chart vision declaration ceremony on the 7th and announced that it would reorganize the famous music chart ‘Gaon Chart’ into ‘CIRCLE CHART,’ which collects K-pop data around the world.
The Circle Chart ranks songs by comprehensively analyzing and reflecting domestic and foreign platforms’ music consumption and user reactions. The Mcon Association aims to make the circle chart a famous chart that can be fully sympathized with by global K-pop fans by synthesizing the amount of K-pop consumed worldwide.
Mcon Association has also signed official partnerships with global music platform companies to secure legal data. Starting with YouTube in 2020, TikTok (2021), Spotify (2021), and Apple Music (2022) will officially sign a data partnership, and credible and objective information will be reflected in the popularity ranking.
In particular, it plans to increase the transparency of the chart by revealing the weekly sales volume of music, final consumer sales through retail stores, and domestic and overseas sales.
In addition, Mcon Cooperative also participates in responding to climate change, an issue in the K-pop industry, and operates an eco-friendly chart (working title ‘Clean Chart’) within the circle chart. To encourage the production of products such as K-pop albums that minimize environmental pollution, the RE100 campaign will be launched, and new album production standards will be established, such as redefining the album.
Choi Gwang-ho, secretary-general of the Mcon Association, said, “No matter what country, religion or race, K-pop is ranked by people all over the world. I will do my part,” he said.
Meanwhile, according to the World Record Industry Association (IFPI), Korea has the 7th largest music market in the world. Thanks to the popularity of K-pop, including BTS, Korea’s status is gradually increasing.
Since Mkon Cooperative is a member of IFPI’s National Group, the data in the circle chart is also cited in the annual report issued by IFPI.
