Is LE SSERAFIM “Flopping?” — The Group’s Album Sales Spark Heated Debate

Which parameter matters the most?

HYBE‘s powerhouse girl group LE SSERAFIM‘s career trajectory has come under question over their recent album sales.

LE SSERAFIM | Source Music

In March 2025, the group released their fifth EP, HOT. In the first week, the album sold around 630,000 copies cumulatively, as per Hanteo‘s data. Out of this, 500,000 copies were sold on the very first day. At that time, the album had the 30th highest first-week sales among girl group albums of all time.

| Nate Pann

Despite this impressive feat, some netizens feel that the sales numbers are actually indicative of a decline in LE SSERAFIM’s popularity. In a viral post, a netizen compared the numbers to groups like IVE, aespa, and NJZ (NewJeans), who have sold a million copies of their albums within the first week of release. LE SSERAFIM had also joined this elite million-seller club with their third album, UNFORGIVEN, with 1.25 million copies sold. However, since then, their follow-up releases have seen a steady decline in sales numbers.

| Nate Pann

The OP (original poster) expressed concern over these declining numbers, wondering if they were being manipulated.

The post garnered significant attention with many Korean netizens opining that LE SSERAFIM’s popularity is on a steady decline, handing out critiques for both the group itself and HYBE. However, international fans have defended LE SSERAFIM, arguing that their sold-out concert venues speak for their sustaining success. Many also pointed out that the downtrend in sales numbers is an industry-wide phenomenon in K-Pop right now.