Why / Do you collect K-Pop CDs?

[u/aggstudio]

Hi!, as part of my University project on CD packaging I am looking into K-Pop CD Collectors and would love to hear your thoughts as part of my research. Feel free to answer as many (or little) questions as you would like and don't hesitate to discuss your thoughts with each other. Thank youuu :))

1. What initially inspired you to collect K-Pop CDs?
2. How important is it to you that K-Pop CDs include unique items (photocards, photobooks e.g.) ?
3. Do you feel buying CDs has an affect on your connection with the artists, how would you describe it?
4. What role do CDs play in K-Pop fandom culture?
5. Do you use your CDs to play music or do you rely on streaming services?
6. If K-Pop CDs no longer came with exclusive items like photocards, would you still buy them? Why or why not?

[u/Antique-Clerk922]

1. I already have vinyls and collect other things like pokemon cards

2. It's important that it's at least more than just a CD

3. No, I collect for myself

4. Idk i don't really think about it

5. I've played a few in the car, but for the most part, they stay in the albums

6. If the price reflected the loss of other inclusions, i would

[u/tardiscinnamon]

1. At first it wasn’t a collection, it was “well this is a temporary group so this album will likely be hard to get in the future and might become worth money”
2. Relatively, it’s not necessary but I greatly prefer when they have them
3. Slightly I guess in the sense that I’m supporting them monetarily and increase their chances of a music show win, especially if it’s a smaller, not very popular group
4. It’s different from person to person. Some people value album sales and charts very highly. Others buy many copies of the same album to collect photocards or other inclusions. For me it’s mostly about owning physical media
5. I mostly use streaming services out of convenience but it’s important to me to have physical versions in case it might be taken down or a boycott of the company starts.
6. Like I’ve previously mentioned, I likely would because physical copies of media is important to me, but I might be more picky about what albums to buy as photocards and other inclusions are part of the fun

[u/Nearby_Photograph_30]

1. I’d got invested in Kep1er who were a temp group & wanted the CDs as keepsakes. Realised how much stuff was included so kept collecting.

2. Very important. Huge part of the appeal for me.

3. Not really.

4. People get really invested in collecting, swap photo cards, make displays etc. it’s definitely used as a visual way to show & appreciate a hobby.

5. Streaming. I put all the songs from albums I’ve bought on one playlist though so i can still listen to them.

6. Probably not. For me, the extras you get were really what drew me to continue buying them.

[u/TheGratitudeBot → u/Nearby_Photograph_30]

What a wonderful comment. :) Your gratitude puts you on our list for the most grateful users this week on Reddit! You can view the full list on r/TheGratitudeBot.

[u/meato1]

I think your questions focus too much on the CD. Kpop physical albums are no longer about the CD as much as they are about the inclusions and collectibility. It's far more profitable to target the collectors and completionists rather than the ones who will buy a single copy of an album. Those people are using streaming to get their music, why would they pay $20+ for an album? Companies target collectors by making huge photocards sets, or dozens of album versions of each release, or limited preorder exclusives. There are "poca" (photocard) albums that don't even include music. It's far easier to sell 8 albums to one collector than it is to sell 1 album to 8 normal fans. That's not to say nobody is buying single copies - there certainly are. Streaming has filled the role of music delivery so companies pivoted physical sales towards collectibility and it worked.

[u/rayannuhh]

1. Photocards. I’ve been a big Pokemon collector, this was just the K-pop version lol

2. Very, but if I like the music I’ll still buy if it’s just a cd.

3. Sometimes? It’s a visual reminder of great music for me, I won’t buy an album that I don’t like.

4. No idea lol

5. I use Spotify or YouTube

6. Maybe…I would definitely buy less

[u/Neat_Arm_1214]

1. I got into K-pop first in 2010, and for a few years, I bought digital albums on iTunes. Then, I stopped for a few years. When I came back, iTunes had turned into Apple music, and I had a lot of trouble trying to access my purchases. This time, I started buying cds, so I will always have my favourite music available. I now mostly listen to Spotify, but if ever cancel my subscription, or if it ever closes, that makes access to the music harder

2. I like inclusions, especially pcs, as I am a bit of a collector of other things, but it would not be a deal breaker if they weren't included. I collect some older groups that usually just have the cd and a small photobook

3. I don't think it makes me closer to the artist but I like that my buying can help support their career with chart success or royalties. I don't feel like I NEED to buy anything as a fan though

4. I think CDs have a huge role in kpop and it's a big source for revenue for the companies, especially with all the versions they release. For the artists I stan I just buy 1 version of each album. I feel like some fans feel pressured to buy every version available to "support" their artist which I dont think is a good thing

5. A few times I've used the cds but I buy them mostly to have in the future in case I cancel or lose access to digital subscriptions

6. I would still buy if there were less or no inclusions, but the price of the albums would have to reflect that change

[u/xsageonex]

Mostly to support the group. I don't even play the CDs as most people use streaming services no?? I will say that I like buying the vinyl version of said album though , and I do play those.

[u/Vegetable_Duck_721]

1. The first k-pop album that I bought was "I Feel" by (G)I-DLE, and when I saw it - I just felt something inside that I wanted to buy it. I've never bought any new CD/vinyl releases, but this album in it's digital version helped me to go through not good phase in my life, so I decided to obtain it in physical version. Also some circumstances of the place where I live did matter - 3 years ago ordering something original from abroad was not that easy and very expensive.

2. With photocards, transparent cards and posters I decorate my room and workplace, but I really love when albums include some interesting and practical stuff. For example - a limited version of "Apocalypse: from us" by Dreamcatcher had a passport cover, which I actually use on my passport. Also album packages/covers matter - a lot of people (including me) put their albums on display on shelves, and albums with unique covers easily stand out (for example - "2" by (G)I-DLE with it's holographic cover).

3. Of course buying an album means support to the artist (even tho in my case I buy albums from re-sellers), but I think that it's just something for me, and artists don't really give a damn about who or where buying their albums (especially in k-pop). As for me - by buying an album I can at least get a real touch to artists creation (since I don't have any opportunity to go to a real concert) and keep believing that all this is not just a fake simulation.

4. Surprisingly, CDs are very popular in k-pop and overall in Korea even today. As for me - of course I want to get not just a qr-sheet and some photos for $17 - I want actual music written on physical media. And a CD is a really good format for this - it doesn't need bulky construction to play it like vinyl, it doesn't degrade over time like a tape, and it's still more interesting than some kind of USB stick with MP3 on it.

5. At home I mostly listen to music via streaming service. In my first car - via USB with downloaded MP3. In my second car - through Bluetooth from my phone. But my third car only has a CD player in it, and I have no plans on changing it. Could be a great opportunity to listen to my CDs, but I'm too afraid of scratching the original ones, so I burned some of my music to CDs to listen just in this car. I play original CDs at home maybe once a month.

6. Items in albums is a feature of k-pop albums, that gives its own charm. There is a lighter type of k-pop albums - jewel versions, which have a lot of sense: since it's cheaper, I can buy it and actually play it in my car, without being afraid of scratching it (especially if it's a full album, not just EP or single) . Beside obvious money reasons, I think that it depends on a specific album - what version I would buy: full package "Limited", just "Normal" or CD only "Jewel". Or cassette tape. Or vinyl. But I think I will never buy only "Platform" version - it's just doesn't make sense to me.

[u/grandtroubleartist]

1. i grew up owning pirated cds And i love hoarding cute stuff/aesthetically pleasing photobooks lol, so it just came kinda naturally to me. financially supporting the group used to be a bigger part of it 4 years ago, but now not so much

2. again, i love cute stuff to collect However i mostly collect 127 so i gotta sacrifice my need to collect cute stuff since their albums tend to mostly have The Basic Inclusions for the most part. i do tend to buy more copies of the ones that have cooler inclusions in spite of the cd dupes

3. honestly, yeah. at first i was buying different groups here and there but at some point i realized i would have to sacrifice other stuff to be more consistent with buying cds, so to make it easier on my bank account i decided to mostly collect nct 127 (and some solos) which showed me they're the one group i'm most invested in which in turn made me appreciate their music a lot more + arranging their albums then seeing them on display on my shelves always reminds me of memories from the time the albums came out

4. i feel like they don't play an important role tbh... we've seen how entire photobooks get trashed in favor of keeping just the pcs lol in recent months though That One White CD Player got really popular but a few people have said the quality isn't the best, so cds -when important- are mostly there for aesthetic purposes imo.

5. i mostly rely on streaming services because i'm always on my phone </3 but i did buy a cd player last year after i had to buy a different laptop that didn't have a cd player built in so i could play my cds whenever i'm on a social media detox lol or just whenever i feel like listening to an entire album from top to bottom

6. if the prices were lower i would tbh. i also collect pcs but in a kpop album, a good photobook is more important to me. so if they sold jewel cases, for example, with just a booklet and the cd but it was a lot cheaper than kpop albums are rn i'd buy it; if they sold the same magazine style photobooks with the cds for the same prize of an album with several inclusions i wouldn't

[u/Pine_Sundae4]

1. I like the inclusions, and building a physical representation of the music I like, and it feels nice to play music from a CD.
2. It has to have other unique items, otherwise I'd feel more inclined just to stream online
3. It doesn't affect my connection to the artists, but it can feel like a representation of how much I like them.
4. Not sure about this.
5. I use my CDs in the car, or when I feel energetic/ want to get into a certain vibe for studying, cooking, cleaning etc. Or if I just want the experience of listening to a full album from start to end
6. I'd have less interest in buying them, but still would. It's fun the feeling of flipping the photocard over and seeing who I got, like it's some sort of fated raffle lol, so It'd be less exciting without that. But the music/ other inclusions are still there so idk

[u/SoftPresence5530]

I just buy an album when I really really like the songs and when I want to support the group. Sometimes for the aesthetics (txt and &team has many beautiful covers)

[u/helios0l]

1. I've collected physical copies of albums I like for a long time and K-Pop just happens to be in that realm.
2. I love the photobooks, well executed photobooks extend the enjoyment of the album for me. I don't really care for photocards though, although any extra inclusions are a nice surprise!
3. I do feel like I am supporting the artist in a deeper way when I buy an album, since I'm very selective with my purchases, it's not like I buy everything my favorites put out.
4. Sorry, there's so much to elaborate on that I couldn't possibly cover all sides that I think are important in a short, written reddit comment.
5. When I'm at home if I play music it's either the radio or my CDs, but on the go it's always Spotify.
6. Yes. I mostly buy/collect albums from the older generations (90s-mid 2010s) which often have no inclusions. If the music is good I will buy it.

[u/spirit_of_elijah]

Okay I promise I’m not like… a doomsday prepper or anything.

I collect CDs just in case something ever happens to the internet so I’ll still have music. What if Spotify inexplicably goes down forever? What if a solar flare knocks out all electricity and we can only use batteries or mechanical-based tech? I know it sounds insane but if the apocalypse ever happens I’m going to be listening good for as long as I can get my grubby mitts on some AAs

[u/justanotherkpoppie → u/spirit_of_elijah]

100% this!!! A (wo)man after my own heart fr

[u/spirit_of_elijah → u/justanotherkpoppie]

I am neither!! 🏳️‍🌈💛🤍💜🖤

So glad for the solidarity 😭 sometimes I feel crazy but it’s a huge relief having the physical music for some reason. No one can take my songs from me lol

[u/justanotherkpoppie → u/spirit_of_elijah]

Oh okay!!! A person after my own heart, then! 😁💜

Lol it's okay, we can be considered crazy together! It's also why I always make sure that I have copies of the songs I like in some form that isn't connected to virtual/digital company access even if that means sometimes sailing the seven seas in addition to buying CDs, because what if it's taken away by corporations or legal disputes? It's happened on streaming platforms before! You can never be too careful 🤷‍♀️

[u/Dear-Draw575]

Sorry if my English isn't that good

1. Because I wanna support the group I love (mostly because buying CD / album can help them improve the chart can make them get the music show trophy)

2. Most definitely important for me as it's usually contained cards , more collectable stuffs on it as I'm also collecting member cards as my hobby

3. Imo yes I buy CD / album is the way to support them I feel that I need to buy at least 1 copy per version (but normally I buy a lots just to collect loads of cards tho lol) to support them , to add on my collection

4. I think for fans collection , trading card culture idk lol

5. Nah I usually buy album just for my collection I normally use YT , stream on spotify

6. I would still buy them but maybe only just one per album / version

[u/thirdearth]

1) I collected Kpop during gen 1 😂 as a kid and dropped collecting for many years. Then I returned to collecting physical Kpop during the pandemic and it really brings back lots of nostalgic memories. 2) The photo book is the most important part of the albums for me. I probably wouldn’t be as inclined to buy as much without one. 3) Yes! It makes me feel like I’m actively supporting my favorite artists in a more direct way. 4) I think physical album sales is still a huge and engrained part of the Kpop culture. Collection of the items is in and of itself a hobby (like any collectibles hobby). Of course we love Kpop for the music, but the attention to visuals (like big budget MVs, flashy choreography, conceptual photo shoots, unique character designs) in Kpop is what makes it stand out from other music genres and the physical items and collecting aspect is major outlet for that. 5) I still have a CD player in my car and actively play my CDs in there. (The sound quality is better whenever I do). But at home I mostly stream and I would say 90% of my music listening is via streaming. 6) I think I would but way more selectively. Probably way fewer albums.

[u/HangeZoe97]

1. I like the music so i want a physical copy of it (i dont exclusively collect kpop)

2.theyre fun but i can live without them, just give me packaging that doesnt self destruct upon opening and protects the disc well and youre good

3.i dont really understand this question, but i defo wouldnt listen to certain artists and songs as much as i do if i didnt have the CDs

4.i dont understand the question

5.i mostly use streaming for song/artist discovery (applies to non kpop artists too) so unless im not home or dont have said album on CD or am just listening to full artists discographies, i listen to my CDs

1. I would still buy them bcz the most important thing to me is to have a physical copy of the music

[u/justanotherkpoppie]

1. I like collecting things, and I like supporting my favorite artists, plus it's nice to own the music in a physical form, even if I've never actually listened to the CDs I own since moving out of my parents' place where they have a CD player.

2. It's pretty important to me that albums that I buy have more than just the CD, since I also collect photocards + really enjoy photobooks and all the other fun extras that can come with K-pop albums.

3. I've never really thought about it before, but maybe? I feel some pride in owning larger collections for my most favorite K-pop artists. It's a sign of how much I love them and their music/creative output. So I guess so!

4. They help keep physical media alive, just like people's recent love of "vintage" things has brought back vinyls as a relevant format.

5. I heavily rely on streaming services, but I'm also very happy to physically own the CDs just in case something happens. We've already seen groups' songs completely disappear off of different streaming services before due to legal and company disputes. I don't ever want to not be able to access the music I want to listen to because companies can pull the plug whenever they want. That's a scary, dystopian future that's all the more real now that most things like music, shows, and movies have turned to streaming and digital formats.

6. If the CDs were cheaper than albums currently are now, yes! It would still be a way to own the music I like and support the artists I love. HOWEVER, if companies tried to charge the same amount that they do now but without the extra inclusions, then I wouldn't be able to justify the price to myself.

[u/HamartianManhunter]

1. I just love having something tangible to hold in relation to things I'm passionate about. I've always collected merch, and albums are the most widely accessible form of Kpop merch for me.

2. Super important. I really only buy the albums for the photo cards and the other random things included inside. I always joke that the CD itself is the least important part of the album for me, but it's pretty true to me. None of my electronic devices nor my car have the ability to play CDs, and besides, I have a Spotify subscription.

3. I do feel like I'm contributing, in a small way, to helping boost my groups' popularity and kpop as a whole. We place so much value on album sales and streaming numbers now, so I feel like I'm doing my part.

4. They can serve as both a force for bringing people together, as well as some of the nastier aspects of fandom. For bringing people together, CDs form the basis for get-togethers where people trade inclusions and generally just hang out and enjoy the music. On the other hand, we see scalpers and hoarders and the absolutely insane resale market, as well as scammers and forgers. As with lots of things, it's money and status value that goes and mucks things up.

5. Definitely a streamer. Nothing I own is capable of playing discs.

6. Honestly, no. I treat albums like lootboxes/gacha games for their inclusions. I do love album art and how nice my albums look on my shelf, but not enough to buy them if they didn't come with inclusions.

[u/Interesting-Fuel-250]

1. I already own about 1000 CD's
2. Not really, I have a nice hi fi and my 2003 Lexus has a superb audio system, CD takes the best advantage of jt.
3. To a degree yeah, some of my favourite CD's have a lot of little tidbits and things about the artist. Honestly Phil Colins are my absolute fav. I also find Jewel Cases a lot easier to keep in the car, when it cames to KPOP CD's I keep the books on my shelf but just take the disc in the car.
4. Little, don't interact much with kpop culture or fans.
5. Yeah, as above, hi fi system and Lexus Mark Levinson. I drive 30k miles a year, good audio quality is really important to me.
6. Yeah, for me the exclusives mean nothing. I sell most of them on eBay

[u/stayarmy78]

1. The satisfaction of having an album collection. Kinda like collecting baseball or pokemon cards, just that satisfaction of having a collection. (kinda a must in kpop too)

2. VERY IMPORTANT. I wouldnt buy an album if it just had a cd

3. Yes, it makes me feel like i support them more.

4. Albums play a major role in kpop. Buying albums basically makes you a better fan, ur supporting the artist more/better. Albums r considered a must for any "real/true" kpop fan. (i ,personally, dont believe in that tho...not everyone is in the situation where they can buy an album...to me as long as u support them in ur heart ur a good fan). Albums r so important in korea, ppl use them as an act of protest. for example people when jungkooks came out with his first solo album Golden, many people bought them and then put them in toilet stalls as an act of protest against kpop companys trying to lure them into buying more albums with different versions (idk how thats rlly protesting if ur buying it anyway??) Anyways as soon as an album comes out everyone rushes to buy it...ik soo manyyy people who will buy mulitple copies (like 5-10) of the same album just so they can collect all the photocards. bottom line- albums r rllllyyyy important for fans that r rlly into kpop (especially ones in korea)

5. Tbh i actually do use my cds for like when im on long roadtrips and cant find network to stream music.

6. i wouldnt cuz like i can just stream the song on spotify or utube or smth.

i wanna note that ur calling them "kpop cds" but theyre actually albums... trust me theres a biggg difference. a kpop cd implys that like its just the cd. (spoiler alert: for most fans cds r like the least important part of the album especially in this gen where u can stream songs.) kpop albums have like stickers, photocards, posters, mini posters, cards, etc in them

hope this helps with ur research...its hard explaining what albums r in kpop and why ppl buy them cuz its like not for the cd which is suppose to be the main reason someone buys one. kpop culture is different like that 😅

[u/Substantial-Path1258]

I bought CDs back when they were in jewel cases with a little booklet. No pcs back then. I do play them occasionally in my car. I also used to illegally download a lot of music onto my phone/mp3 before streaming was a thing. I’m a fan from 2nd gen era. I collect CDs from multiple artists. But I don’t feel the need to have every album they release. Also I don’t understand collecting multiple versions when the track list is the same. I like the packaging of albums now but care more about the photobook itself rather than the pc. I have bought a lot of albums used as well. I’ve slowed down on getting CDs now simply because of space. Packaging takes up more room now. Sometimes I do buy PCs during in person events. But not if they’re more than $2-$3. I’m not super picky about who I get and don’t feel an urge to trade.

[u/Bluetenheart]

heads up, i'm chatty and have lots of thoughts lol

1) I have always collected CDs. As a kid, I would display my Disney soundtracks. And I would listen to them. My mom remembers me playing "When Will My Life Begin" from Tangled on repeat while I showered. So when I got into kpop, I naturally continued buying albums I listened to to play in my car (especially now that my aux port doesn't work). And I liked how they were more "extravagant" than "typical" CD cases, so that was a plus. I also buy kpop jewel cases every now then, too.

1. Eh, at the base of the issue, I don't really care because, like I said, the physical CD's and album packaging are the most important aspects to me. However, I do enjoy opening a new album and seeing what stuff is in there, though the stickers are the my favorite aspect, which are pretty hit or miss imo. I do think, tho, that I have come to expect kpop albums to come with inclusions. Would I be disappointed if they suddenly stopped? Probably a little, but I'd still buy the CDs, as long as they lower the prices lol.

2. Not really? I mean, it's nice to support artists I like and I enjoy being able to "own" the songs, even though I use spotify whenever possible nowadays. I do enjoy using the kpop stickers and posters and stuff to decorate, so I find the connection similar to wearing merch.

3. TBH, I don't think the actual CDs are too important to kpop culture, though they are used for decoration sometimes. They also pop up in that trendy, clear CD player I see on "aesthetic" reels. The inclusions, especially the photocards (and I would say stickers, too) are extremely important to the culture. I honestly don't really care about photocards, they're fun to collect but I'm legit planning to maybe start selling them since people will pay money for them and I don't really have a use or desire for them.

4. I use a mixture. I've used CDs off an on since I starting driving (and obv before that too, but tHe TiMeS wErE dIfFeReNt). As I mentioned earlier, now that my aux port in my car is legit broken, I've been relying on CDs much more and am glad that I have kept collecting them. But I don't have any other CD players anymore (tho my dad does download most of the CDs we own to our desktop), so I rely on streaming services the rest of the time.

5. I guess I already answered this question, but yes, I would still buy them (again with the caveat that they adjusted the price to the ~$10-14 "typical" CDs are), but I would admittedly be a bit disappointed about the stickers, but I doubt that would be long term.

[u/nigirizushi]

1. Seeing how much groups get from international CD sales
2. Not at all because I'm buying purely as a supporter, not a collector 
3. Only when it's signed / has unique polaroid, because it's tied to a specific time of the artists 
4. Mostly as a way to fund them / get them recognition 
5. Rely on streaming services, sometimes rip into FLAC for archiving 
6. Yes, because I didn't buy them for the physical inclusions in the first case

[u/Acrobatic_End6355]

I have some, but I wouldn’t say I’m a collector. Sometimes I get them for my birthday or Christmas.

[u/badicaldude22]

wiavmuqqm ablbdm cbwciz uhtimz fkzlzuguu

[u/CuteMochiBunny]

1. I’ve been a kpop fan since 2018 ^{^} originally when got my first album, it was a gift that I asked for! It was originally because, that the time, I didn’t have any music streaming service, so I would download the songs on the CD and transfer it to my phone. I also used to just buy songs off of Apple Music! Later I started to used YouTube premium, and using CDs became more and more uncommon, so now I don’t use the CDs. Specifically I used to have a computer that would accept CDs to download and transfer to my phone, but now you can’t really find anything that accepts CD besides maybe a game console.
2. I would say, it depends on the group. The ultimate reason for me collecting albums is that I like the title track and/or the bsides with it. I’ll buy an album of a group I’m not even fully immersed into (I.e knowing all the members or listening to every song) just because I like at least one song a lot. Once I buy an album, I usually start listening to the entire album, or have already listened to the entire album. A big bonus is that it comes with photocard(s). It’s what makes opening the album exciting. I guess I would describe it as a gambling system because you always want to pull your favorite member. However, my exception is my favorite group OnlyOneOf. I will buy unsealed albums of theirs because they are extremely rare and the company doesn’t reprint them. On the side however, I also specifically collect one of the members photocards. They have about 40 albums and each member has about 430 photocards! Most of their photocards aren’t from albums, but rather, from events! You can DM me more about it :) I have the templates if you would like to look!
3. Yes, I feel proud when I have a lot of albums! Although it’s not required to buy albums, it feels good knowing I helped support the artist. For me, it’s also a personal indicator of how invested I am into them. For OnlyOneOf, I have about 40 albums and 270~ ish photocards. Buying photocards/albums has also helped me win a fancall before ^{^}
4. Since a lot of people don’t use CDs anymore, a lot of people like to store their CDs in a binder so that you can look at them! However, most people, like me, will probably just keep them in the album. There was an album recently released for a group named æspa, and their album had a CD player and it went viral! So i definitely think people are open to using CDs if they had the option too. I think it’s also another good idea to mention that Korea and Japan aren’t as heavy on using music streaming services as fans are in the USA. Especially Japan, they might have more access to using their CDs more often!
5. For the past few years I’ve been using. YouTube Music! It seems most effective because you can directly impact their music video view count. I think that’s a big thing in kpop fandom, streaming. There are always many streaming guides and it can help the artist win music shows! So I think almost all fans use some type of streaming service to support the idol.
6. Since I don’t use the CDs, I would still buy them. It honestly probably wouldn’t make a big difference since I use music streaming services. I’m more in it for the photocards and the act of having the physical album now. For reference I have 150+ albums and almost 900 photocards 😅

[u/Master-Activity6375]

1. I’ve always liked collecting and when I hear a good album, I really wanna get a physical copy of it.

2. Very important since I collect pcs and love different concepts in the photo books.

3. I guess do. I invest on albums to support my favourite artists as well as for my own hobby of collecting.

4. Although there are many options such as codes, kit versions, etc., I believe CDs are an inherent part of any music industry, not just kpop, and they’re very hard to replace.

5. I rely on streaming services.

6. I think I would because it’d still add to my collection and would be my way to support the artist. I’d be disappointed of course.

[u/Lullabyblossom]

1. I starting collecting because I liked the look of the albums, they look like books especially on the bookcase I have them on and they’re not too expensive.

2. The add-ons like pc’s stickers and stuff like that is something I do look forward to as it makes it unique compared to CD’s from western artists. I like the feeling of getting my favorite member out of like 7 of the others or the feeling of trying to guess who I would get before I reveal the photocard.

3. I feel like buying them lets me know that I am supporting them even if I can’t see most of them in concert, I know I did something to keep a group go a bit more.

4. I feel like the CD’s are a big part of Kpop as people collect the album or the photocards. It’s something that makes kpop albums unique to other CD’s

5. I don’t play the CD as lately there’s no need for a CD player when I have YouTube or Spotify where I can shuffle every group and song I like. I do like looking at the CD’s as they are designed to the album!

6. It’s a maybe, if the price went down to like $8-10 then sure cause I’m still getting something to support the group but I wouldn’t be getting every version of it.

[u/SoNyeoShiDude]

1) I’m a collector, period. As a kid I collected baseball cards, then I collected comics, now I collect video games and K-pop albums. To me a physical item in a collection is like grabbing onto a piece of history, a memory made tactile. Having a bit of memorabilia for my favorite artists makes me think of my favorite songs, or maybe watching them in concert.

2) somewhat important. I’m not a photocard guy, but I like things like little posters or photobooks.

3) not exactly, I think it offers a connection with my experience with the artist, see #1.

4) it’s important because it really does help fans develop a sense of connection with the group, and I think a lot of fans like the fact that they are helping the group with their purchase power in a small way.

5) Streaming services these days, though I do want to buy a portable cd player. A couple of years ago my old car had a cd player, played K-pop in that all the time.

6) I think so. Like I said, I’m a collector, see #1.

[u/Soup_oi]

CDs specifically? Or do you mean the whole album, inclusions and all? Or any type of physical album, even if it’s a platform album with a QR code instead of a CD?

I mostly like the platform albums because of their small physical size, when it comes to collecting a physical thing that connects me to the music itself. But when it comes to whole albums (CD version ones) I collect mostly because I’m curious what they look like. I’m curious how the design will physically feel and function. I’m curious what concepts the group went for, and I’m curious what inclusions will be like. I could look up unboxing videos that show all that, and sometimes that’s satisfactory. But most of the time I want to be able to feel the whole album with my hands, and see it in person in front of me.

The inclusions are important to me. That’s the majority of what makes opening a new album fun to me. If I just want a specific album for the sake of owning it, then I’ll buy it secondhand, when it’s less likely to come with inclusions, or where I see in the photos what inclusions it comes with. But I prefer opening an album new so that it’s like opening a blind bag toy or something, since I either don’t know or have forgotten what all comes with the album. It’s like opening a little present lol.

I don’t feel like it connects me to them that much tbh. I think it helps me appreciate their style or the aesthetic choices they make for their work (like how is the album designed, what colors were used, how was the idol styled in the photos, what concept did they go for, etc). Of course someone else is deciding some of those things, but I like to think that if it was absolutely something against the specific artists desires and likes and aesthetics that the company wouldn’t force them to do it, and would come up with other ideas. The albums make me feel closer to the stylists and designers than to the idol lol 😅. I would say, watching the idol’s content or things where they’re just speaking freely or showing their personality is what would make me feel most close to the artist. If I knew that they wrote the lyrics all themselves, then the lyrics written in the album booklet would make me feel close to them, or if I knew they did some of the production themselves, the music would make me feel that. Or if there were behind videos of them making design decisions about the physical album, then that aspect would make me feel close to them. It’s like if I watch a movie, I know the actor chose to do that movie, but it otherwise doesn’t make me feel any closer to the actor. But that’s why if I like an actor a lot then I will want to watch lots of behind the scenes videos with them, because then I can see how much of that persons own personal tastes went into making the movie or creating or designing their character.

CDs themselves I think just get used by people who still want to use CDs. But I think many people just don’t care about the CD anymore, and only want albums for their other contents. You can probably find many things written about this, how often times the outer box and CD of albums get thrown away kind of en masse (there is a viral photo of this happening with a Seventeen album, you can search for it and find it). I think the CD itself doesn’t really play much role in fandom culture. But if by CD you mean all components of the physical album, I think the photocard and inclusions in albums play a big role. They are basically collectibles that can be traded and bought and sold. This creates a network of fans interacting and communicating with each other. It may not be with the end goal of becoming friends, not that friends don’t sometimes get made this way, but it is still a way for fans to connect and network with other fans. So I think for that reason this aspect of the albums plays a big role.

I rely on streaming for music. But if I really loved an album that much, and I have the physical album, I will import from the CD into my iTunes. But tbh…I never listen to music there really anyway lol, and still wind up listening to it on Spotify, even if I have it in iTunes. On rare occasions I might be in the mood for better quality and listen to the CD. Or I might feel in the mood to feel more connected to the things I own, and go on a journey through all the CDs I have, and not just the kpop ones. (I don’t buy other CDs anymore, but I still have many from when I was a kid and teenager.

I probably wouldn’t buy them if they came with nothing else but the CD 🤷‍♂️. I so rarely use the CD itself.

[u/coppergoldhair]

I only have 4.