New K-Pop Girl Group HINAPIA Make Debut on World Digital Song Sales Chart With 'Drip'
New K-Pop Girl Group HINAPIA Make Debut on World Digital Song Sales Chart With 'Drip'
11/15/2019 by Jeff Benjamin
The five-member act includes some familiar faces to the charts.
2019 continues to be good to new girl groups, as a promising new act lands on the charts on their first try.
HINAPIA see their debut single "Drip" enter Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart at No. 18 on the tally dated Nov. 16, 2019. The new female quintet -- that features four former members of girl group Pristin -- power their way onto the charts in a competitive week that included new releases from some of World Digital Song Sales' frequently seen K-pop stars including GOT7, HyunA, IU, Jay Park, Jessi and more.
HINAPIA has the unusual backstory -- and, seemingly, advantage -- of having almost their entire lineup consisting of previously debuted K-pop idols. Members Minkyeung, Gyeongwon, Yaebin and Eunwoo were all part of the previous 10-member girl group Pristin who were together from 2017 until unexpectedly announcing their disbandment in May of this year. Despite their short time together, Pristin had managed some impressive feats on the Billboard charts including being the only rookie K-pop girl group of 2017 able to send both their debut single and album to the charts that year.
When it comes to debuts on World Digital Song Sales, girl groups generally had a tougher time to enter on first try until 2018 with this year alone marking the fourth K-pop girl group to bow on the tally with their debut single. Also of note, new girl groups are now outperforming new male groups as only three rookie boy bands land their debut singles this year (Tomorrow X Together, OneUs and X1), reversing a longtime chart trend. See a full history below:
2014 - Red Velvet - "Happiness" (No. 4)
2015 - Twice - "Like OOH-AHH" (No. 6)
2016 - BLACKPINK - "Boombayah" (No. 1)
2017 - Pristin - "Wee Woo" (No. 11)
2018 - (G)I-DLE - "Latata" (No. 4), LOONA - "favOriTe" (No. 4), IZ*ONE - "La Vie en Rose" (No. 6)
2019 - Cherry Bullet - "Q&A" (No. 17), ITZY - "Dalla Dalla" (No. 2), Everglow - "Bon Bon Chocolat" (No. 5), HINAPIA - "Drip" (No. 18)
Altogether, HINAPIA's new start as a fierce, self-described "ice queens" looks promising when it comes to the U.S.-based Billboard charts audience. Groups with more powerful images tend to gain traction from their start (see BLACKPINK, (G)I-DLE, ITZY and Everglow) with HINAPIA also benefitting from their already-famous members. While the fivesome do not have the backing of a big K-pop label like they once did with Pristin and Pledis Entertainment, a No. 18 bow is promising for the future especially as the charts trend toward embracing more girl groups.
Get to know HINAPIA with their first music video for "Drip" below:
Music
via https://www.DMT.NEWS
Jeff Benjamin, Khareem Sudlow
