AKMU tops Melon chart for 5 weeks, ventilates appearance-prevailing K-pop scene

Brother-sister duo Akdong Musician, nicknamed AKMU, topped the country’s largest music chart for the fifth straight week, a significant streak in the idol-prevalent K-pop scene.

The acoustic duo members, Lee Chan-hyuk, 17, and Lee Soo-hyun, 14, remained No. 1 in Melon’s “top-20 artist ranking” and “top-20 album chart” from April 7 through May 11, YG Entertainment stated on Tuesday. 

The album also topped Mnet’s “M! Countdown” and SBS’ “Music Trend” for three consecutive weeks.

All the tracks in their latest and debut album, “Play,” were written and composed by Lee Chan-hyuk, the brother. Included on the album is “200%,” a song dedicated to the victims of the sunken Sewol ferry and their families.

AKMU is set to showcase “Give Love,” another piece on the debut album, starting Thursday on “M! Countdown.”

The duo emerged on the K-pop scene with their victory in the singing survival show “K-pop Star 2.” They are also famous for their down-to-earth upbringing in Mongolia by their missionary parents.

By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldcorp.com)