It's almost as if K-pop fans have their own language. If you're new to the K-pop scene, you keep coming across unfamiliar terms that you have to look up. One of them is “POB”. This frequently used abbreviation stands for “Pre-Order Benefit”. In other words: a benefit you get when you pre-order. So really, it's quite simple: an advantage you receive with pre-orders. But we'll explain it all in a bit more detail here so you really understand what POBs are all about in the K-pop scene:
- What do Pre-Order Benefits look like for K-pop albums?
- How do I know whether an album includes POBs?
- Apart from K-pop albums, are there other products in Korea with POBs?
- What are shop-exclusive POBs and fansign POBs?
- What do the Korean stars' agencies get out of offering Pre-Order Benefits?
Pre-Order Benefits are usually mentioned in connection with K-pop albums.
As you probably know, these popular albums don't just consist of a photobook, but also include a range of extras such as photocards, bookmarks and stickers.
If you also pre-order an album, in many cases you even get additional extras: Pre-Order Benefits! These benefits can be anything that is normally included in the albums - photocards, bookmarks, stickers, postcards, posters or something else -, but they are often especially sought after because they are only available for a limited time and are no longer produced afterwards.
Collectors in particular often pay high prices after the fact to get their hands on the limited benefits.
Whether an album includes POBs or not is almost always listed along with the contents in online shops.
Nowadays there often are some, but by no means always. The number also varies. Sometimes there is “only” one photocard, sometimes a poster as well, or even entire photocard sets!
Anyone who has ever bought an album knows that there are usually different designs among the extras - the different band members - and it is left to chance which one the buyer gets. It's no different with POBs. That's why they get traded just like the regular extras.
Pre-Order Benefits aren't just available with K-pop albums,
but also with DVDs - for example concert recordings - or magazines. Sometimes they even come with Korean skincare products or even drinks that are endorsed by Korean stars! The value of Pre-Order Benefits depends on the products they belong to. The more expensive the product, the more owners can ask for the POBs later on, should they decide to sell them.
You'll especially often hear about shop-exclusive POBs or fansign POBs:
Shop-exclusive POBs are, as the name suggests, Pre-Order Benefits that you can only get from certain online shops. Korean shops in particular often work together with the agencies that produce the albums and can therefore offer exclusive extras with pre-orders. Since the POBs are different at every shop, fans often think carefully about where they order their albums. In the end, quite a few people buy the album from several shops, in other words multiple times, so they don't miss out on any of the exclusive extras.
Fansign POBs are especially in demand, because fans only get them if they manage to secure a spot at a fansign event. At fansigns, fans meet their stars in person and can have albums and other fan merchandise signed. International fans, however, more often take part in online fansigns: these consist of a one- to three-minute video call with the stars. Who gets into the fansign is chosen randomly and depends on how many albums a fan has pre-ordered from shops that offer the event. The more, the higher the chance of landing a spot. At the in-person events in particular, the lucky participants often receive an exclusive extra. Among K-pop fans, these are of course especially valuable because they are harder to get.
What do the Korean stars' agencies get out of offering Pre-Order Benefits?
Pre-Order Benefits are meant to encourage fans to order the albums as early as possible, because afterwards they no longer count towards the charts.
In South Korea, album sales figures play a major role for the charts. The music shows, whose trophies are highly coveted by Korean stars and often serve as a yardstick for an album's success, are also based on the number of units sold. That's why many agencies regularly offer POBs and will probably continue to do so.
In the end, Pre-Order Benefits are a small reward for fans who pre-order products: a lovely addition to any collection!
