Circle Chart Releases August Monthly and Weekly Rankings: Stray Kids, Taemin, NCT 127, and RESCENE Claim Major Victories

South Korea’s premier music charting system, the Circle Chart (formerly known as the Gaon Chart), has officially unveiled its monthly rankings for August alongside its weekly tracking results. The newly released data showcases a dynamic landscape where established powerhouse groups, resurgent legacy acts, and viral breakout rookies coexist at the top of the domestic and global music markets.

Among the most notable achievements, Stray Kids secured physical album dominance for the month of August, while SHINee’s Taemin captured a weekly "double crown" with his highly anticipated solo return. Meanwhile, the rookie girl group RESCENE achieved a major milestone, earning a monthly double crown on the digital and streaming charts with their sleeper hit "LOVE ATTACK."

Main Facts: Key Takeaways from the August and Weekly Charts

• Stray Kids’ Physical Dominance: JYP Entertainment’s Stray Kids topped the August physical album chart with their latest mini-album, THIS & THAT. Demonstrating their massive fanbase, the group occupied two spots in the top five, with the regular version of the EP debuting at No. 1 and the exclusive FANS version charting separately at No. 5.
• Taemin’s Solo Double Crown: On the weekly charts, SHINee’s Taemin achieved a coveted double crown. His new solo title track, "FLOAT," debuted at No. 1 on both the overall weekly digital chart and the weekly digital download chart, while his mini-album PHASE 1 : Soft Violence entered the weekly album chart at No. 5.
• RESCENE’s Digital Breakthrough: Rookie group RESCENE secured an impressive monthly double crown for August. Their 2024 single "LOVE ATTACK" experienced a powerful viral resurgence, topping both the monthly overall digital chart and the monthly streaming chart.
• NCT 127’s Digital Success: NCT 127 topped the August monthly digital download chart with their energetic title track "Blingy," while their full-length studio album BLINGY maintained steady physical performance, landing at No. 4 on both the monthly and weekly album charts.
• Global K-Pop Consistency: The track "Golden" by HUNTR/X, from the soundtrack of the animated feature KPop Demon Hunters, maintained its absolute grip on the global market, securing the No. 1 position on both the monthly and weekly Global K-Pop charts.

Chronology of the Chart Tracking Period

The transition from the late summer blockbusters of August to the early autumn releases of September created a highly competitive chart environment.

In early to mid-August, physical sales surged with the release of Stray Kids’ THIS & THAT and ENHYPEN’s THE SIN : BLISS. These releases set a high benchmark for physical units shipped, establishing an immediate lead on the monthly charts. Simultaneously, NCT 127’s promotional cycle for BLINGY generated massive digital download traffic, securing the group the top spot on the monthly download chart.

By late August and the first week of September, the momentum shifted toward weekly solo and unit debuts. This period saw the release of SHINee’s Taemin’s solo project, MONSTA X’s new mini-album The Phase, and the debut of several high-profile solo singles from BLACKPINK members. This transition highlights how quickly the K-pop market rotates from massive physical group comebacks to highly targeted weekly digital releases by soloists and sub-units.

Supporting Data: Comprehensive Chart Breakdowns

Monthly Album Chart (August)

The physical album chart for August reflects the continued strength of male idol groups in driving physical sales:

1. Stray Kids – THIS & THAT (Regular Version) (Debut at No. 1)
2. ENHYPEN – THE SIN : BLISS (Debut at No. 2)
3. ALPHA DRIVE ONE – UNBREAKABLE : 少年BEAST (Debut at No. 3)
4. NCT 127 – BLINGY (Debut at No. 4)
5. Stray Kids – THIS & THAT (FANS Version) (Debut at No. 5)

Weekly Album Chart

The weekly physical chart showcased a different set of competitors, led by Starship Entertainment’s veteran group MONSTA X:

1. MONSTA X – The Phase (Debut at No. 1)
2. CORTIS – GREENGREEN (Re-entered at No. 2)
3. 82MAJOR – HEAT (Debut at No. 3)
4. NCT 127 – BLINGY (No. 4)
5. Taemin (SHINee) – PHASE 1 : Soft Violence (Debut at No. 5)

Physical Album Dominance (August vs. Weekly)
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Monthly Top Spot:  Stray Kids ("THIS & THAT")
Weekly Top Spot:   MONSTA X ("The Phase")
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Monthly Digital and Streaming Charts (August)

In a rare alignment, the top five positions for both the Monthly Overall Digital Chart and the Monthly Streaming Chart were identical. This consistency highlights the direct correlation between sustained user streaming and overall digital chart points.

1. RESCENE – "LOVE ATTACK" (No. 1 on both charts)
2. CORTIS – "REDRED" (No. 2 on both charts)
3. I.O.I – "Suddenly" (No. 3 on both charts)
4. aespa – "LEMONADE" (No. 4 on both charts)
5. RESCENE – "Pretty Girl" (No. 5 on both charts)

Weekly Digital and Streaming Charts

On the weekly front, Taemin’s debut disrupted the monthly streaming order on the digital chart, though RESCENE maintained their stronghold on pure streaming.

Weekly Digital Chart:

1. Taemin – "FLOAT" (Debut at No. 1)
2. RESCENE – "LOVE ATTACK" (No. 2)
3. CORTIS – "REDRED" (No. 3)
4. BIGBANG – "BiiiG" (No. 4)
5. I.O.I – "Suddenly" (No. 5)

Weekly Streaming Chart:

1. RESCENE – "LOVE ATTACK" (No. 1)
2. CORTIS – "REDRED" (No. 2)
3. I.O.I – "Suddenly" (No. 3)
4. BIGBANG – "BiiiG" (No. 4)
5. aespa – "LEMONADE" (No. 5)

Industry Responses and Market Trends

The Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) noted that the August and weekly charts highlight a healthy diversity in consumer behavior. Industry analysts have pointed out several key developments that defined this tracking period:

The Power of the "Sleeper Hit"

RESCENE’s double crown with "LOVE ATTACK" is a prime example of the power of viral domestic streaming. Released earlier in 2024, the song found a second life on short-form video platforms, driving a massive surge in streaming numbers months after its initial promotional cycle ended. The group’s success was further bolstered by their remake of "Pretty Girl," which also landed in the monthly top five. This demonstrates how a rookie group can compete with industry giants through organic public interest rather than relying solely on immediate fandom power.

Legacy Group Resurgences

The charts also featured significant comebacks from iconic second- and third-generation groups. I.O.I, the historic project group from the Produce 101 franchise, generated major waves with "Suddenly," a track tied to their 10th-anniversary comeback teasers. Similarly, legendary group BIGBANG made a strong showing with "BiiiG," proving that their domestic brand power remains potent even during periods of minimal active promotion.

Strategic Implications for the K-Pop Landscape

The latest Circle Chart data points to several structural shifts in how K-pop agencies are approaching release schedules and marketing strategies.

Physical vs. Digital Bifurcation

The stark contrast between the physical album charts and the digital streaming charts continues to widen. While male groups like Stray Kids, ENHYPEN, and ALPHA DRIVE ONE generate immense revenue through bulk physical sales, the domestic digital charts are heavily dominated by female artists and viral public favorites like RESCENE, aespa, and CORTIS. Agencies must continue to balance these two distinct revenue streams—catering to highly dedicated fandoms for physical sales while pursuing public-friendly, viral concepts to secure digital longevity.

Soloist Power in the Post-Group Era

The weekly success of Taemin, alongside the high chart placements of BLACKPINK’s individual members (Jisoo’s "CLICK," Jennie’s "FALLEN ANGEL," and Rosé’s "APT." with Bruno Mars), underscores the immense marketability of soloists from legacy groups.

Rather than diluting the brand of the original group, these solo projects allow artists to explore distinct musical identities while maintaining high chart positions. Rosé’s collaboration with Bruno Mars on "APT." and Taemin’s performance with "FLOAT" show that solo endeavors are increasingly effective at capturing both domestic listeners and international music markets.

The Rise of Non-Traditional Hits

The continued dominance of HUNTR/X’s "Golden" from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack on the Global K-Pop Chart represents a growing trend: K-pop is expanding beyond traditional agency-led artist releases. Soundtracks for animated films, webtoons, and gaming collaborations are establishing themselves as major players on the global charts, opening up new avenues for cross-media partnerships and international reach.