SEVENTEEN’s much-anticipated 10th anniversary album HAPPY BURSTDAY was released with huge excitement on May 26, marking a major milestone for the group and their fans. However, what should have been a joyful celebration has been somewhat overshadowed by a growing frustration: many fans who pre-ordered physical copies of the album are still waiting for them to arrive.
The delay in album shipments has led to a wave of complaints online, with fans directly blaming HYBE Labels, SEVENTEEN’s parent company, for mishandling distribution. Many believe the issue could hurt the group’s promotional activities and even affect their performance on music charts.
According to a recent update on Weverse, HYBE stated that the shipping start date for some orders had been pushed back. The company explained that there was an “insufficient” production quantity available for pre-order, which began on April 28, 2025 (KST). HYBE claimed that overwhelming demand exceeded the supply they had prepared. While this may sound like a good problem to have, many fans were left feeling disappointed and ignored.
This shipping issue has not just been a matter of inconvenience—it has raised deeper concerns among the fanbase. Some fans are accusing HYBE of intentionally restricting stock of SEVENTEEN’s album, suggesting it could be a move to favor other HYBE-managed groups. Since SEVENTEEN is managed by Pledis Entertainment, which was later acquired by HYBE, some believe they may not be receiving the same level of support as groups that were directly formed under the HYBE brand.
One of the biggest concerns is how this delay could affect SEVENTEEN’s performance on music shows and charts, which often factor in physical album sales more heavily than streaming numbers. With many fans unable to buy albums during the crucial second and third weeks after release, there’s fear that sales figures will drop at the very time they should be peaking.
This worry was echoed in fan comments such as, “I was wondering why their sales were only 2.4 million and not more,” highlighting the noticeable dip compared to SEVENTEEN’s past releases. Fans feel that the group’s chart positions and potential wins on music programs might suffer as a result.
In response, fans have started organizing online, urging one another to keep sending emails and leaving comments on SEVENTEEN and HYBE’s official pages. They believe this is the only way to draw attention to the issue and possibly push HYBE to resolve it faster. Many are also trying to boost album purchases during the later weeks to compensate for the delay.