&TEAM Makes Successful Debut in K-Pop Scene, Achieving Million-Seller Status and Music Show Wins

The HYBE global group &TEAM has successfully established its presence in the K-pop industry with a remarkable debut, achieving significant milestones in album sales and music show performances.

Upon releasing their first Korean mini-album 'Back to Life' on October 28th, &TEAM instantly became a million-seller, selling 1,139,988 copies on the first day alone. With first-week sales totaling 1,222,022 copies, they recorded the highest sales for a Korean album released in October (according to Hanteo Chart). This marks their second consecutive million-seller achievement, following their Japanese third single 'Go in Blind,' making &TEAM the first Japanese artist to achieve million-seller status in both Korea and Japan.

Forbes, the American economic magazine, highlighted &TEAM's strong entry into the global market, reporting on November 5th (KST), "&TEAM makes a powerful global market entry with over 1.1 million copies sold in the first day for their first Korean album." The publication further praised, "&TEAM has positioned itself as one of the most talked-about groups right now, adding new meaning to the expanding definition of K-pop." Forbes analyzed, "The strategy of starting in Japan and then entering Korea is rare, but &TEAM's success proves its potential," suggesting their journey signifies a new trend within the K-pop industry.

Their stage presence has also been prominent. &TEAM secured their first two music show wins within a week of their debut, topping the charts on SBS M's 'The Show' on November 4th and MBC M's 'Show! Champion' on November 5th. The title track 'Back to Life' captivated global fans with its grand rock hip-hop sound and perfectly synchronized choreography, visually embodying the narrative of 'reawakened instincts'.

The music video for 'Back to Life' garnered immense attention, surpassing 10 million views in just one day and reaching 30 million views within five days. The music video for the B-side track 'Lunatic' also achieved 10 million views in 62 hours, showing an exceptional surge for a B-side song.

Beyond their music, the members have continued to engage fans with their diverse charms through various content, including 'Idol Human Theater,' 'The Return of Superman,' and 'ON YOUR ARTIST,' showcasing their individual personalities and approachable sides. Their first pop-up store in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, also saw great success, with an average of over 1,000 visitors daily for eight days.

The group's success is underpinned by meticulous preparation. Their journey was documented in a Nihon TV documentary, '&TEAM 100 Days Close-Up: Howling out to the World,' which resonated deeply with fans worldwide, showcasing their heartfelt challenge. The documentary detailed the training, rehearsals, and Korean language learning process of the nine members leading up to their Korean debut, vividly portraying their passion and teamwork. Viewers expressed their admiration, commenting, "It was touching to see how hard they worked behind the scenes," and "Their sincerity was so evident that their current success feels well-deserved."

&TEAM will continue their domestic promotions by performing their title track on KBS2's 'Music Bank' today (7th).

Netizens are expressing strong support for &TEAM's impressive debut achievements, noting their success across albums, music shows, and music video views. Comments like "They were a global group from the start, but now they've proven themselves in Korea too," and "It was great to see their hard work, and I'm even more excited for their future" are common.