Global Economic Times

Im Young-woong's all-around activities demonstrate the 'Young-woong Effect,' earning him 26.2 billion won and setting a new course for the music industry.: Hwang Sujin Reporter / Updated : 2025-09-28 09:23:35

Singer Im Young-woong is proving the 'Im Young-woong Effect' by generating enormous economic ripple effects through all-encompassing activities including music releases, concerts, and broadcasts. As the majority shareholder and sole artist of his agency, Mulgogi Music, Im Young-woong essentially operates a one-man agency system, recording 26.2 billion won in sales (pure activity income) last year. While this is a decrease from the previous year (2023) at 31.4 billion won, it remains an overwhelming scale. Industry whispers suggest, "If it involves Im Young-woong, it will succeed, no matter what it is."

Explosive 'Music Chart Power' Despite No Album Release

Im Young-woong's influence is clearly evident in the numbers. His recently released 2nd full-length album, 'I'm Hero 2,' showed explosive momentum on music charts despite the physical album (CD) not being released, to alleviate concerns about fan competition. On Melon, it achieved 6,723,600 streams within 24 hours of release, setting the 7th highest record of all time following idol groups, and reaching 1 million streams in just 3 hours and 10 minutes. Notably, in the 'Billions Diamond Club,' which has surpassed 10 billion cumulative streams on Melon, only Im Young-woong and BTS are listed.

Breaking Attendance Records at Stadiums - Proving 'Ticket Power'

His popularity offline is even more tangible. In April, Im Young-woong drew the highest attendance of the season (45,007 spectators) for the K League kickoff and halftime performance at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. More recently, he gathered 21,045 spectators at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium, setting a new all-time attendance record for the Daejeon club.

The 'Im Young-woong Effect' reaches its peak particularly in the concert sector. Tickets for the massive national concert tour, starting in Incheon this October and continuing through Daegu, Seoul, Gwangju, Daejeon, and Busan, have been sequentially released and have all achieved lightning-fast complete sell-outs in every region so far.

Last year's two-day concert at the Seoul World Cup Stadium (attracting 93,964 people) ranked second in ticket sales for the popular music sector, following Coldplay's performance in Korea. His recital concert also ranked third, clearly demonstrating his undisputed 'ticket power.' With another large-scale national tour scheduled for this year, significant earnings exceeding last year's 22.4 billion won are anticipated.

Expanding the Fandom to Middle-Aged and Older Generations - Contributing to the Expansion of the Mass Culture Audience

With his comeback, Im Young-woong is expected to increase media content revenue by expanding his reach through YouTube content, large-scale listening parties, and appearances on various entertainment and music shows. One music industry official analyzed that Im Young-woong's success holds great significance because it actively brought middle-aged and older fans into mass culture, thereby expanding the scope of fandom culture. His presence has brought about a unique change in the music industry, which had become rigid and centered around idols, and his case is noteworthy as an example of a 'long-run' success that maintains popularity over a long period, not just a temporary fad.