[DISCUSSION] AS Ranking in 2013 and 2014

So yeah, Sports Chosun released their annual girl group ranking again and based from AS' rank from last year and this year, it seems like they didn't moved a single position T^T What do you guys think? And what we should do to help them gain more popularity? Share your opinions below (:

I don't see how Secret is above them tbh

K-kitsune wrote:I don't see how Secret is above them tbh

me too. and knowing the fact that AS is almost tied with Dalshabet freaks me out. they're a senior-junior group and they're just having the same popularity

Sigh, it's not really surprising ;(( In the 2013 rankings, it's obvious how much they've slipped compared to their contemporaries. The only girl group who debuted in '09 that's lower than them was Rainbow.

As for Secret being rated higher than AS, it might have something to do with their digital earnings. If you look at how much they earned in the first four weeks when their song was released in the Gaon charts, Secret earned more digitally than AS did. In this chart, Secret's Yoo Hoo still managed to enter the Top 30, specifically at #21. Meanwhile, First Love only made it to Top 50, specifically, at #44.

On the upside, First Love sold more than Yoo Hoo (13k vs 8k) but I guess they're counting digital sales more than physical in the rankings?

But yeah...First Love is one of their lowest-selling mini-albums if you compare it to the rest of their releases in the past. And Orange Caramel didn't promote last year either.

Last year, none of the girls even had any OST releases or other featured songs. It's been a quiet year for them in terms of promotions if you compare it to the years before.

I will always support the girls and buy their albums (if I have the means for it--their Japanese singles are hella expensive). And I'll always post about them so the international fandom won't forget about them.

But even so, a lot of the factors that's necessary for their long-term success rests in their management. This year is their fifth anniversary, I hope they'll have a better year than before. I want them to promote at least twice.

I think After School need more Korean promotions/activities. Unfortunately it look like it's their Japanese activities thats earning them more money.

albeitalways wrote:Sigh, it's not really surprising ;(( In the 2013 rankings, it's obvious how much they've slipped compared to their contemporaries. The only girl group who debuted in '09 that's lower than them was Rainbow.

As for Secret being rated higher than AS, it might have something to do with their digital earnings. If you look at how much they earned in the first four weeks when their song was released in the Gaon charts, Secret earned more digitally than AS did. In this chart, Secret's Yoo Hoo still managed to enter the Top 30, specifically at #21. Meanwhile, First Love only made it to Top 50, specifically, at #44.

On the upside, First Love sold more than Yoo Hoo (13k vs 8k) but I guess they're counting digital sales more than physical in the rankings?

But yeah...First Love is one of their lowest-selling mini-albums if you compare it to the rest of their releases in the past. And Orange Caramel didn't promote last year either.

Last year, none of the girls even had any OST releases or other featured songs. It's been a quiet year for them in terms of promotions if you compare it to the years before.

I will always support the girls and buy their albums (if I have the means for it--their Japanese singles are hella expensive). And I'll always post about them so the international fandom won't forget about them.

But even so, a lot of the factors that's necessary for their long-term success rests in their management. This year is their fifth anniversary, I hope they'll have a better year than before. I want them to promote at least twice.

Well Nana was featured on Ma Boy 3 single, but I agree with everything you said.

I think the key this year is more than one Korean promo. Make it happen Pledis!

It looked like Orange Caramel would come back and then After School comeback would follow shortly after for the second half of 2013, but neither happened... probably because the Japanese album got planned?

Ugh so sad though...I still love them of course and thought 2013 felt like a better year for the girls overall. I hope an early Orange Caramel comeback starts things off on the right foot.

LoL, ranking is based on popularity. 2ne1 blows in my opinion.

I'm sorry but no other K girl group is on SNSD's level of success, they deserve a whole tier on to themselves.

AS need to try and promote more in Korea. I know they're so much more successful in Japan with less effort but they can't pull off the one comeback per year routine as it is hurting their popularity, even SNSD suffered as IGAB didn't sell that well compared to their other releases and Kara's last era kinda flopped too.

After School needs to do more in South Korea and not just Japan.
They need at least 2 Comebacks a year because as a group from a small company like Pledis, they just need to do more to stay relevant than a group from a bigger company.
I know it's easy to say but just making one comeback a year and promote for 3 or 4 weeks is not enough. They have much more competition now than back in 2009/10, so that means more hard work. To choose better songs especially because their latest release was...let's say "weak". And Pledis needs to promote the newest members/auditions better and do another sub unit group.

Let's not forget that we have Son Dam Bi, Hello Venus, Nuest and Seventeen too. Which kinda means less After School promotions...I just hope for the best for these girls this year because they are too talented to stay as a nugu group.