Pledis Entertainment is being accused of sajaegi following rookie group TWS's large leaps on digital song charts. Keep on reading for all the details.
TWS Makes Spalsh With Their Debut 'Plot Twist'
Back in January 2024, PLEDIS Entertainment debuted their first boy group in nine years since SEVENTEEN, TWS. The group debuted with the album "Sparkling Blue" and the lead single "Plot Twist."
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Though they are just rookies, the group quickly garnered attention thanks to support from SEVENTEEN, as well as being "sibling groups" with LE SSERAFIM, ENHYPEN, TXT, and more.
From the moment they debuted, TWS was praised for their fresh concept, handsome visuals, and well-planned debut. However, TWS's performance on the charts is receiving mixed reactions.
TWS Accused of Sajaegi Following Monumental Rise on Digital Song Charts
Netizens are pointing out irregularities in the digital music rankings of their title track, "Plot Twist." Released two weeks ago (as of this writing), internet users pointed out the song has not gone viral in Korea, and yet it continues to climb the digital music charts. Many compared their growth to LE SSERAFIM's "Perfect Night," which took 4-5 weeks to top the charts.
LE SSERAFIM was able to achieve this success through their viral dance challenge. People noted that the "Perfect Night" sound on reels has 50 million views, yet "Plot Twist" only has five million views. Despite that, TWS is climbing the charts faster, sparking confusion.
Upon release, "Plot Twist" debuted in MelOn's top 100. In the span of two weeks, the song climbed 27 spots and sits within the top 30 of the charts. In addition, the song ranked at number two on the Bugs chart.
People believe that if this rise continues, they could potentially block IU from receiving a Perfect All-Kill with her upcoming comeback. TWS's growth rate is even faster than SM Entertainment's RIIZE, a rookie boy group that is highly popular in Korea and consistently performs well on the charts.
Another thing that is causing confusion is the number of unique listeners TWS received over the weekend. At the time, the public was focused on the Korean national football team playing against Australia in the 2023 Asian Cup quarterfinals.
Despite that, TWS garnered over 18,000 unique listeners. This achievement is extremely rare, with even top singer Lim Young Woong being unable to achieve it.
It was noted that during the weekend, other top ten artists such as IU, Taeyeon, Riize, and LE SSERAFIM saw a decrease in their unique listeners. As TWS is still growing their fanbase, people believe PLEDIS Entertainment is shamelessly pulling sajaegi to make TWS more popular.
As of writing, Pledis Entertainment has not responded to the allegations.
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Written by Alexa Lopez
