SUPER JUNIOR vs SNSD

Every year, KBS broadcasts its year-end awards ceremonies of “Grand Song Festival” and “Top Popular songs” on December 30, along with the “Golden Disk Awards” set to air in January 2012. However, not only are the dates predictable but so are the groups that are to be receiving the majority of the awards.

Under the same label of SM Entertainment, powerhouse female group SNSD and undisputable K-pop idols will go head-to-head in a heated competition of who gets what. Although both groups are very close with one another, indeed a “family” since they operate under the same company, the title of 2011’s best K-pop group can only go to one member of SM Entertainment: SNSD or Super Junior.

However, these two idol groups are similarly matched in every way. With a solid report card of album sales, variety show appearances, overseas performances, and ability to push the Hallyu wave further and more powerfully than ever before, SNSD and Super Junior are on par in every aspect of K-pop with these factors serving as a basis for both.

This year, with Super Junior’s fifth album “Mister Simple” massing 339,707 in record sales with their repackage album selling 122,936 albums, the total comes to a massive 462,645 in overall music sales. Furthermore, SNSD’s album released in October titled “The Boys” accumulated 293,042 sales until the end of November, an accomplishment deserving high praise, since girl groups hardly reach over 200,000 in record sales.

Moreover, the two groups’ reputations overseas are matched as well, with Super Junior’s previous hit singles “Sorry Sorry” and “Bonamana” massing over 30 million viewers while SNSD’s most well-known song “Gee” gather nearly 60 million views and “Oh!” garnering 45 million. Due to their solid rise in popularity, Super Junior is even preparing a South American tour early next year. Also, SNSD’s first album in Japan titled “Girl’s Generation” garnered 850,000 albums sold according to Oricon charts, and adding the number of repackaged albums sold, SNSD is set on becoming the first group to achieve a million in album sales in that country.

With only a few weeks away from one of the biggest music celebrations in Korea, SNSD and Super Junior will no doubt be highly anticipating the outcome of their efforts made this year. The title of best K-pop group of 2011 can only be placed on SNSD Or Super Junior, and with their achievements and overflowing popularity on equal terms, the question raised to fans and critics alike is: Who is going to win?