The One Girl Group That’s Popular Without A Big Fandom, According To Circle Chart Director

As the dynamic world of K-Pop continues to evolve, one girl group has emerged as the unlikely chart-toppers despite lacking a massive fandom to rely on.

Circle Chart Director Steve Choi, in a recent analysis of girl group releases and their chart success, singled out STAYC as a “public-type” idol group — meaning they have managed to amass significant streaming numbers without the backing of a large fanbase.

STAYC, in Choi’s classification, falls into the public-type idol category, where the group exhibits high stream counts or unique listener numbers but relatively low album sales. These groups garner general public interest without being heavily dependent on a sizeable fandom.

Public-type idols typically show high unique listener counts but relatively low album sales. We have a group here, it’s STAYC.

— Steve Choi

Throughout their career, STAYC has maintained a steady presence on the music charts, despite their fandom not being as vast as some of their contemporaries. The group has also experienced considerable fluctuations in their trajectory. However, these challenges have not deterred the girls. Instead, they’ve used these ups and downs as stepping stones, cementing their position as a noteworthy force in the K-Pop industry.

Choi seems to have high hopes for STAYC, believing that they are on the brink of evolving into a “complete idol,” a term used for groups who display both high stream counts and album sales.

The Circle Chart Director mentioned that while STAYC is strong on the music charts, their transition to “complete idol” status hinges on their ability to expand their fanbase and boost their album sales.

They should only go forward from here, and I will pray that will happen to STAYC.

— Steve Choi

STAYC’s success, despite not having a large fandom, speaks volumes about their music’s intrinsic appeal that has resonated with the general public. This achievement shines a spotlight on the current state of the industry — it is no longer just about fandom size but also about the quality of the music and its ability to captivate a broader audience.

As the girl group continues to carve a niche for themselves, STAYC’s rise underlines the limitless potential and diverse pathways to success. Their story so far is a testament to their talent, persistence, and the power of music that transcends the boundaries of fandoms, signifying a new dawn in K-Pop’s ever-evolving narrative. It would be intriguing to see if STAYC can indeed expand their fandom and ascend to ‘complete idol’ status, as predicted by Choi.