[Sportschosun Baek Ji-eun] Group ALPHA DRIVE ONE has proven its soaring popularity in Japan.
On the 25th, ALPHA DRIVE ONE took 13th place in the combined album ranking of Japan’s Oricon First-Half Ranking 2026, based on its debut album "Euphoria." The tally covered the period from Dec. 8, 2025, to June 7, 2026. It was the only record set by a K-pop rookie who debuted this year, and also the highest ranking.
"Euphoria" sold more than 1.44 million copies in its first week in South Korea, ranking second among first-week sales for debut albums by K-pop groups. Even before its official debut in Japan, the album also made a strong impact on the Oricon first-half ranking, signaling the arrival of a major new act.
With the prologue single "No School Tomorrow," released in May, ALPHA DRIVE ONE topped RecoChoku’s daily album ranking, Mora’s overall daily album ranking, and the real-time foreign pop album ranking. Its title track "OMG!" reached No. 1 on LINE MUSIC’s "BGM & Melody Top 100" chart and entered the real-time charts for "LINE MUSIC New Song Top 100" and "Song Top 100" at No. 2, marking the highest ranking among K-pop artists. It also swept No. 1 on iTunes Japan’s "K-Pop Top Songs" and "Top Songs" rankings.
After its release, "Euphoria" rose to No. 3 on Oricon’s weekly album ranking and weekly combined album ranking, staying near the top for five consecutive weeks. The title track "Freak Alarm" and the pre-release song "Formula" also held strong positions on major music platform charts, including LINE MUSIC, Rakuten Music, and iTunes.
As a result, local invitations in Japan have been pouring in. ALPHA DRIVE ONE has been invited to major festivals such as the 42nd Mynavi Tokyo Girls Collection and Mynavi Presents The Performance. It has also drawn intense attention by appearing on the covers of local fashion magazines.
ALPHA DRIVE ONE held its fan concert tour, "Star Lord," at Yokohama Pia Arena from the 26th to the 28th. All three shows sold out, filling more than 25,000 seats in total.
Baek Ji-eun, silk781220@sportschosun.com
