South Korean boy band Stray Kids has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in the K-pop industry with their latest album 'Karma,' which has recorded the highest first-week sales figures of any K-pop release in 2025. The group's management company JYP Entertainment announced this historic achievement on Friday, marking another significant success for the internationally acclaimed eight-member group.
According to data provided by Hanteo Chart, the leading domestic tracker of K-pop album sales, Stray Kids' fourth full-length studio album 'Karma' sold an impressive 3.03 million copies during its first week following its Monday release. This remarkable sales figure establishes 'Karma' as the only K-pop album released in 2025 to surpass the 3 million mark in first-week sales, demonstrating the group's continued dominance in the global music market.
The album's success extends beyond physical sales to digital streaming platforms as well. On Spotify, the world's largest music streaming service, 'Karma' also achieved the distinction of recording the highest number of first-week streams among all K-pop albums released in 2025. This dual success across both physical and digital formats underscores the album's broad appeal to fans worldwide and Stray Kids' ability to engage audiences across different consumption methods.
International recognition for the album appears to be building momentum, particularly in the United Kingdom's competitive music market. Industry analysts predict that 'Karma' is positioned to debut strongly on Britain's Official Albums Chart Top 100 this week, potentially marking a historic achievement for the group. The Official Charts Company expressed optimism about the album's prospects in a preview statement released on Tuesday local time.
'It could be a historic moment for the band, who have never cracked the Top 10, with 'Karma' set to be their best-performing project to date,' the Official Charts Company stated in their preview. This potential breakthrough would represent a significant milestone for Stray Kids, as breaking into the UK's top 10 would establish them among the most successful K-pop acts in one of the world's most influential music markets and further cement their status as global superstars.
