Shoujo Jidai (SNSD) released their first Japanese album �GIRLS� GENERATION� on June 1st and the girls have sold an astounding 232,000 copies in the first week; vaunting the girls to the top spot on Oricon�s Weekly Album chart.

This is an amazing feat because SNSD has also topped their senior BoA�s record. BoA released �LISTEN TO MY HEART� back on March 2002 and sold 231,000 copies, so she has held that record for 9 years and 3 months. SNSD now has the title of best first week sales on a debut album amongst all foreign artists!

Since their debut with �GENIE� last September, this is the first time for the group to top the Oricon Weekly Chart when including both singles and full album. SNSD also became the second foreign female group to have their first album at #1, the other first place group is Russian duo t.A.T.u�s �t.A.T.u� (released in March 2003); so it has been 8 years and 3 months since that was last achieved. Additionally, SNSD is the first ever Korean female group to have their debut album at number one.

SNSD started their first Japanese tour at the end of May stating, �We�re grateful to our fans that always support us in getting our Japanese debut album to #1 on Oricon. The chart is great, of course, but the fact that so many people are listening to our album is even better and makes us all so happy. We sincerely hope that this album gives the people of Japan even just a bit more courage and a light of hope�.

Furthermore, other Korean artists who have had a weekly number one this year include: Tohoshinki�s single (February), KARA�s single (April), Jang Keun Suk�s single (May), BIGBANG�s album (May) and FTISLAND�s album (May). Including this week, that makes 6 Korean artists who have topped the Oricon charts this year.

Source: Oricon