aespa’s latest comeback is already delivering major numbers. The group’s second studio album LEMONADE posted 842,131 first-day sales on Hanteo, securing the second-biggest opening day for any female artist in 2026 and adding another impressive benchmark to the quartet’s rapidly growing commercial record.
The figure places LEMONADE directly behind BLACKPINK’s DEADLINE, which opened with 1,461,785 copies in February and still holds the year’s biggest first-day debut among female acts. Across all K-pop releases in 2026, the album currently ranks ninth, in a year led by BTS’ ARIRANG, which moved 3.9 million copies on day one.
For aespa, the milestone further cements the group’s consistency as one of K-pop’s strongest physical sellers. Historically, LEMONADE now stands as the seventh-biggest opening day ever recorded by a female K-pop group on Hanteo. Within aespa’s own catalog, it trails only 2023’s My World, which debuted with 1.3 million copies, while outperforming 2025’s Rich Man and comfortably surpassing the opening-day total of their 2024 studio album Armageddon, which sold 515,000 copies in its first 24 hours.
Those numbers carry particular weight given Hanteo’s methodology. The chart tracks real-time physical album sales through verified retailers in South Korea alongside select international distribution channels, making it one of the industry’s most closely watched indicators of immediate fan demand.
Commercial momentum extended beyond South Korea within hours of release. LEMONADE quickly entered the top five of the U.S. iTunes albums chart and debuted at No. 2 on Worldwide iTunes, signaling strong international reception for what marks aespa’s most ambitious full-length release to date.
Released via SM Entertainment, the 10-track set sharpens the futuristic electronic identity that has defined aespa’s catalog while pushing into bolder sonic territory. The title track “LEMONADE” channels the kinetic energy of previous hits like “Supernova” and “Whiplash,” pairing aggressive electronic production with an empowering message built around transformation and resilience. A digital bonus version featuring Becky G adds a Latin-pop edge to the summer-ready anthem.
Elsewhere, the project expands its reach through notable collaborations. “WDA (Whole Different Animal)” featuring G-DRAGON opened the era earlier this year and signaled a striking new chapter in the group’s evolving lore.
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