Despite making sustainability commitments, companies in the K-pop industry continue to face criticism for their use of plastic in the production of physical albums. Experts argue that the effectiveness of the campaign to reduce plastic usage remains uncertain, as it is currently only voluntary and not mandatory.
The Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism are working together to facilitate discussions with members of the Recording Industry Association of Korea (RLIAK) on government regulations pertaining to the production of album covers. In addition, they plan to present alternative solutions to decrease the use of plastic in album cover production.
Despite the absence of regulations in South Korea regarding the excessive production of music albums, the Ministry is solely promoting voluntary efforts from the entertainment industry to address climate change.
Each year, around 100 million physical albums are purchased, yet the government does not impose any regulations on the marketing tactics used by entertainment companies. Fans are consistently encouraged to buy multiple albums in order to collect photo cards and other included items.
According to the Circle Chart, a tracking system for album sales in South Korea, there was a 49% increase in physical album sales in the 50th week of 2023, reaching a total of 115.2 million. This is almost 14 times the amount of sales in 2013, which only amounted to 8.3 million albums.
In contrast, the United States, with the world’s largest music market, presents a starkly different trend.
According to data from RLIAK, the United States has seen a continuous decline in physical album sales, with only 37 million sold last year compared to 172.2 million in 2013 and less than 73 million in 2003.
Based on the findings of KPop 4Planet, a global environmental protection organization that includes K-pop fans, the marketing tactics used by entertainment companies to capitalize on fan devotion in order to increase profits have resulted in a surge of album production and subsequently, a significant amount of plastic waste.
Despite the lack of precise data on the materials utilized in the creation of albums, an approximation can be made by analyzing the expenditure reports of entertainment companies. It is estimated that the leading 15 producers, such as HYBE, SM Entertainment, and YG Entertainment, collectively sold more than 390 tons of plastic packaging in the year 2022.
Based on the results of a 2021 survey conducted by KPop 4Planet, a vast majority of participants (95.6%) expressed the belief that entertainment companies have a negative impact on the environment. A representative from KPop 4Planet emphasized the need for the Korean music industry to take greater responsibility in addressing global issues, particularly the pressing issue of climate change.
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