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Is Itzy the first JYPE million seller girl group? Midzys clash with TWICE fans

With JYPE saying Itzy crossed a million sales, TWICE fans are unhappy as the girls had a million pre-orders and crossed 950k sales on the first day

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: On August 31, it was reportedly announced that Itzy had become the first girl group of the label JYPE to cross a million sales with their latest album ‘Checkmate’. However, with the label’s older girl group TWICE crossing a million pre-orders for their latest album ‘Between 1&2’, the two groups’ fandoms are clashing as to whom the title of the ‘first JYPE million seller girl group’ truly belongs as no music chart has confirmed this rumor.

While it is no easy feat managing several popular K-pop groups, JYPE is often slammed by fans for alleged favoritism and unfair treatment among their artists. We have had fans of GOT7, TWICE and now even their newer groups Stray Kids and Xdinary Heroes unhappy with how they were promoted. With TWICE taking seven years to get their first million pre-orders, many ONCEs (TWICE’s fandom) have often claimed that JYPE is sabotaging them by not restocking albums in time. And now, with reports that even the label themselves confirmed that Itzy is their first million-seller girl group, there is an uproar on K-pop Twitter.

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Itzy and TWICE fans clash over million-seller title

With the Circle Chart being updated at the end of the week, for the week of August 27, they had shared that TWICE’s ‘Between 1&2’ had 995k sales while Itzy’s ‘Checkmate’ had 943k sales. With TWICE’s album being released only a day before on August 26, fans were already celebrating these high first-day sales.

Their juniors, Itzy who only debuted in 2019, had their comeback on July 15 and so fans were celebrating the achievements. Even if Itzy gets a million sales after TWICE, they have another milestone as the fastest JYPE girl group and second fastest JYPE artist to have a million-selling album in over 3.5 years since their debut. However, a wedge has been driven by the rumor that Itzy is the first one to cross a million sales.

Popular Korean media platform Naver shared an official statement by JYPE who claimed on August 31, “Itzy's 'Checkmate', released on the 15th of last month, recorded shipments of about 1 million copies based on the Circle Chart (formerly Gaon Chart) on the afternoon of the same day." With the week of September 3 yet to be officially announced by Circle Chart, there is much confusion. Midzys (Itzy’s fandom) believe the label’s announcement and are celebrating Itzy as the first JYPE million seller girl group. However, ONCEs think that this media play by JYPE to promote Itzy and are waiting for a confirmation from Circle Chart when they update on September 3.

‘This is not a competition’

A reputable K-pop album sales fanbase has also shared that the only way to clarify the million sales is to wait till next week when Circle Chart updates. They said, “And to clarify who was the "first" in JYPE since we have also been asked, still neither is, and in case both albums reach 1M next week then the record will be shared and both will be the first. This is not a competition or a race, records can also be shared. Love and peace.”

But this has not stopped Midzys or ONCEs who are clashing over the title. A ONCE posted, “Since we're talking about sales, gaon/circles chart also reported that itzy didn't sell 1M copies thooo, sooo? your info being a first jype gg is still incorrect.” But a Midzy said, “Anyways jype already confirmed yesterday that checkmate has sold out 1M copies and there's already an article so i don't think there's anything to argue about right now.” Another ONCE joked, “The first JYPE gg to sell 1M according to the voices in their heads.” A Midzy explained, “Take it or leave it itzy is the first jype gg that reached 1M sales in just one album. SALES are already shipped while PREORDER is not and it can be cancelled so it is not counted as sales YET. everyone should know this alrdy.”

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