We have discontinued the Hanteo Family franchise program, which we had participated in since 2015, effective this year.
We understand that many international fans choose Hanteo Family Shops to support their favorite artists. During our years of operation, one of the most frequent questions we received from customers was whether our store’s sales were reflected in the Hanteo Chart.
While Circle Chart is often referenced for long-term sales trends, Hanteo Chart is primarily emphasized in the context of first-week sales performance.
While it is true that sales made through Hanteo Family Shops are eligible to be reflected in the Hanteo Chart, there is a significant blind spot when it comes to first-week sales figures. This is something overseas K-pop fans should be aware of, especially if they place importance on first-week sales.
For example, if pre-orders for an album scheduled for release in March 2026 are placed and paid for in January, those sales are not reported to the Hanteo Chart at the time of payment. Instead, they are reported only when the albums are actually shipped, which typically occurs around or after the release date.
The key point is that Hanteo sales are recorded based on the actual shipping date, not the order date or payment date.
As a result, if pre-orders for an album with a release date of March 1, 2026 are placed on January 1, but shipping is delayed until March 10, those orders will not be reflected in the first-week sales figures.
If a store cannot complete shipments within one week of the official release date, its sales — even if the store is a Hanteo Family Shop — will only be reflected in later sales data and will not contribute to first-week sales counts.
This applies not only to Korean websites but also to foreign K-pop retailers. In practice, albums must be received, processed, and shipped to customers within one week of the release date for sales to be reflected in first-week sales figures.
If first-week sales — which are often the primary focus of Hanteo Chart discussions — matter to you, it may be worth considering one simple question:
Does the store you use consistently complete shipments within the first week after release?
If the answer is yes, continuing to use that store makes sense.
If shipments routinely extend beyond the first week, those purchases are unlikely to contribute to first-week sales, regardless of the store’s Hanteo status.
For this reason, being a Hanteo Family Shop alone does not guarantee that purchases will be reflected in first-week sales figures.
When first-week sales matter, what ultimately determines whether a purchase is counted is not the franchise status, but whether the seller can ship the album within the first week of release.
