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Virtual K-Pop boy group PLAVE just made history on MelOn with their first Japanese single. One thing that makes it notable is that we don't often see virtual idols making waves on one of Korea's biggest music platforms. Still, the band's accomplishment hints at a deeper significance that might be lost on some people.
Their recent achievement isn't just a personal victory—it also points to a bigger change happening in the K-Pop scene. But what did they actually do? Let's take a closer look at the event and figure out its implications.
PLAVE Reaches Historic Feat on MelOn with Japanese Debut Single
Since debuting, the virtual idol group has been no stranger to achieving impressive feats after every album release. Last September, PLAVE dominated Korean music charts with their digital single 'Pump Up the Volume.' Recently, they made history on MelOn, one of South Korea's major music platforms.
On June 16, the virtual group dropped their first Japanese digital single album, “Kakurenbo (Hide and Seek).” Just 24 hours after its release, it accumulated a staggering 2.7 million streams. This feat made the group enter MelOn’s “Hall of Fame” (Millions Album).
PLAVE Official X
The recognition is only given to albums that exceed one million streams within 24 hours. Notably, "Kakurenbo” is the first Japanese-language album to land on the platform's “Hall of Fame” in history. This achievement proves PLAVE’s immense popularity in South Korea.
The debut Japanese single album by PLAVE consists of three songs. The title song is the same name as the album and is the group's first original Japanese track. Members YeJun, Noah, and EunHo composed the track, while Bambi and HaMin were in charge of the choreography. Once again, they solidified their status as a self-producing idol group.
The other two songs are Japanese versions of previously released songs, ‘RIZZ’ and ‘Chroma Drift.’ Producers rewrote both songs with lyrics that match the Japanese language, tone, and emotion naturally.
Plave Enters MelOn’s Hall of Fame With a Japanese Single: What It Really Means
The moment PLAVE’s “Kakurenbo (Hide and Seek)” attained “Hall of Fame” says more than just “an album performing well.” It opens up a bigger conversation focused on three questions about how Korean fans are changing. It also hints at how the entire K-Pop industry itself is shifting, especially when it comes to language, loyalty, and fan behavior in South Korea.
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