K-pop pre-orders, POBs and fansign draws explained

Comeback season means pre-order links, store-exclusive photocards and fansign events, all at once and often only on Korean stores. This guide from the K-pop Desk explains how each one works when you buy through us, and where the limits are.

Pre-orders

Korean stores usually open pre-orders a few weeks before an album's release date. The store ships after release, so there's a gap between paying and receiving.

With us:

1. Paste the pre-order link and tell us the version and quantity.
2. Accept your quote. Quotes are valid for 72 hours, but pre-order windows and benefits can close sooner, so it's worth accepting quickly.
3. We place the order as soon as you've paid.
4. The album arrives at our warehouse after release, and we photograph it on arrival.
5. It waits in your box. Free storage is 60 days and starts when the parcel reaches our warehouse, not when you pay.

That last point makes pre-orders easy to combine. You can keep an album in your box while other orders arrive, then ship everything together. Consolidation is free.

POBs: pre-order benefits

A POB is an extra a store gives with pre-orders, usually a photocard set that's different at each store. That's why fans often buy the same album from a specific store.

Things to know:

• The POB belongs to the store. Buying from Withmuu gets you Withmuu's POB, not Soundwave's. Name the store and the benefit you want in your request.
• Korean and global stores can differ. Weverse Shop, for example, can have different benefits on its Korean store and its global store. Say which one you need.
• Many POBs are random or limited. A random member card can't be chosen, and some POBs are only for early buyers or while stocks last. The store's notice decides, and a store can run out even during the pre-order period.
• We can't add a POB the store doesn't send. When your album arrives, we photograph what's included so you can see it before it ships.

A clear request note helps:

Store: Withmuu (Korean site). Album: Photobook ver. A, qty 2. I want the Withmuu POB photocard. If the POB is gone when you order, please ask me before buying.

Fansign and video-call draws

Some Korean record stores, including Withmuu and Soundwave, run fansign and video-call event draws. Usually each album bought during the event window counts as one entry.

What we can do:

• Buy event albums for you during the event window.
• Pass on the application details you give us, where the event's rules allow it.
• Photograph the albums and any POBs when they arrive.

What we can't do:

• Guarantee a win. Stores generally don't publish odds. Buying more albums adds entries, but nobody can promise a result.
• Change eligibility rules. Some events require the winner's ID or a Korean phone number, and in-person fansigns need the winner to attend. We'll point out requirements we can see, but the event's rules decide.

Read each event notice carefully, and only spend what you'd be comfortable with if you don't win.

Chart counting

Albums bought from Korean stores generally count toward Korean charts such as Circle Chart and Hanteo. Stores differ in which charts they report to, and many say so on the product page, with wording like 한터차트 반영 or 써클차트 반영 ("counted on Hanteo / Circle"). If chart counting matters to you, check the listing before you request, or ask us and we'll look for it.

Weverse Shop and global stores

Weverse Shop ships abroad itself. Since 3 Feb 2026 it has shown tax-excluded prices to overseas buyers, with an option to prepay duties. If the global store has the item and benefit you want, ordering direct may be simplest. Use us when an item or benefit is only on the Korean store. See Weverse Shop for details.

Protecting albums and inclusions

Albums are often heavy, with corners that dent and paper inclusions that crease easily. Here's how we handle them, and what you can add:

• Our basic check covers item count, the version you ordered and visible damage from the outside. Sealed albums stay sealed.
• We never remove product packaging. We do remove bulky outer delivery boxes, which helps keep volumetric weight down.
• Extra protection (bubble wrap and corner guards) is ₩2,000.
• Detailed photos (up to 10) are ₩1,500 per parcel, useful if you want to see POBs or album corners closely before shipping.
• Posters in tubes make a box longer, which can raise the volumetric weight for EMS and couriers. Ask us for a quote if you're unsure.
• Cover: EMS includes compensation up to ₩700,000. Extra loss and damage cover is available as an option for 2% of the value (minimum ₩2,000).

A few albums can push a box past K-Packet's 2 kg limit, so compare methods in the calculator before you ship.

Buying in bulk

For 20 or more identical items, such as an album for a fan group, see group orders. The fee is 3%, with a ₩10,000 minimum, instead of the per-order fee. For a smaller haul, remember that the ₩3,500 service fee is per store order, not per album, and there's no service fee on store orders of ₩200,000 or more.

Questions about a specific event or store? Ask in community Q&A.