Why Lim Young-woong Decided Not to Release a Physical CD for His 2nd Full-length Album
It is, of course, a situation where album sales are not even counted.
By Ra Hyo-jin 2025.07.29
Overproduction and overconsumption of physical albums have long been chronic issues in the music industry. Putting other issues aside, it’s undeniable that an enormous amount of plastic waste is indiscriminately discarded as a result. In this situation, Lim Young-woong has made a special decision: he chose not to release any physical album (CD) for his 2nd studio album.
Lim Young-woong’s agency, Fish Music, announced on the 29th that after extensive discussions and deep consideration with Lim Young-woong, they reached this decision. Instead of releasing a CD album, they will produce a pictorial album book package for fans who want to own his 2nd studio album. This will include photos of the 2nd album, album credits, and a message from Lim Young-woong, and will be sold exclusively through the official MD mall as a limited pre-order.
Since there is no physical album, album sales figures will not be counted, which could surely be a blow for both the singer and his agency. Especially since Lim Young-woong is an artist who sold over 1 million physical albums for his debut album without even a single fan signing event. However, they conveyed their intention “to approach the public in a way that focuses on sincerity and values rather than achievements.” It is difficult for fans to actually listen to a CD album, and fandom-driven bulk purchases can become a burden, along with environmental concerns—these were all comprehensively considered in making this decision.
Furthermore, the agency introduced the slogan, “Music goes digital, collection and celebration go with the album book,” saying, “Although the form of commemorating the album will change, we hope that the feelings and sincerity contained inside will come even closer, so please look forward to it.”
CREDIT
Editor: Ra Hyo-jin
Photo: Lim Young-woong Instagram