2PM Merch Guide

A hopefully helpful guide to navigating all the merch options out there! Geared towards 2PM, but much of the info is applicable to other kpop/jpop groups. Edit suggestions and content requests welcome!

Written mostly by @codecraftnap, with contributions from other Hottest

Official Retailers

If possible, use a credit card with no foreign transaction fees to pay in KRW/JPY - it’ll be cheaper than paying in your local currency.

Important note: Record yourself unsealing and unboxing package contents! If anything is missing, retail sites will want video proof that the items were not originally sent (to avoid scammers.)

Korea

  • Official website
  • The Korean version of the site only accepts KR payment methods (so you need to purchase through a proxy)
  • [Con] the English site uses a 1000 KRW to 1 USD conversion (overpriced)
  • [Pro] Easy and quick to cancel orders that have not yet shipped
  • The former official distributor for 2PM merch (albums, fanmeet goods, Season’s Greetings, etc.) - recently only Season’s Greetings kits have been sold on here
  • Usually sends Soundwave-specific pre-order bonuses (POBs) for albums/goods, and will distribute counts evenly across members
  • [Pro] If you order enough to meet the full POB or random photo count, they’ll USUALLY send you full sets so you don’t have to worry about duplicates
  • But only if the photos are visible…
  • Before Midnight MD photos were not sorted because they faced inward
  • The Dear.HOTTEST random photo packs combined multiple cards at random… but that MD was just an absolute shitshow in multiple aspects
  • If shipping costs less than the estimate at checkout, Soundwave keeps the excess amount paid - but if shipping is undercharged, Soundwave will bill you for the remaining fee
  • [Con] Only ships internationally via EMS, which is the most expensive courier
  • [Con] EN site converts 1000 KRW to 1 USD which is a lot pricier
  • Note: For ordering through here, I would recommend a proxy service that ISN’T Okvit
  • The official international partner for Soundwave merch
  • [Con] Their free shipping promotions no longer apply to kpop items, and are grossly inflated
  • [Pro?] Update Dec 2022: Shipping has… maybe returned to normal? At least the SGs were a normal rate even though the JYP shop was still super inflated
  • [Con] Cart is limited to 15 unique items, 20 max copies per item, or 30 total items
  • [Con] Shipping costs are grossly overinflated to arbitrary amounts ($260 for 1 photobook and 20 photocards; $400+ for 30 items, etc.)
  • [Con] They show an estimated cost in USD and charge in KRW, but the actual settled charge has an additional ~2% above what the cart says
  • Sells albums (with Interpark-specific POBs)
  • Sells Hottest Fanclub memberships (whenever recruitment opens again…)
  • (Usually) sells tickets to BeyondLive virtual events using KRW (BeyondLive charges in pricier USD)
  • Sells albums (with Aladin-specific POBs)
  • Sometimes sells other goods (Must making book, but not Red Sleeve merch)
  • [Pro] Charges in KRW with low shipping fees
  • Note: Make sure you order from Aladin KR! Aladin US has inflated prices
  • Instructions for creating an account: https://twitter.com/RestIsHistory87/status/1442365554182918152 
  • Korean eBay where you can purchase albums and other merch from various sellers
  • Will charge additional shipping fees if items weigh more than they expect
  • If items weigh less than expected, refunds are provided - but only in the form of Gmarket credit
  • Sells books (like Red Sleeve merch)
  • Does not ship CDs or DVDs overseas
  • Ships with FedEx
  • Shipping weight is calculated at 1kg per item at checkout
  • They will request additional payment fees at shipment time, if the item weighs more… but will still send your items and not follow up about missing payments??
  • Note: You may need to create an account through Naver or other method - people have had issues checking out as guests
  • Ships with EMS, but has 40% off coupons so charges are comparable to DHL/FedEx
  • Refunds shipping overcharges (also charges extra if undercharged)
  • Sells a variety of items, with reasonable shipping fees (DHL)
  • Great customer service - quick replies and very helpful!
  • WARNING: This website is affiliated with an insane cult associated with violence, child abuse, and death. You can read this thread or search “synnara cult” for more info… I don’t recommend supporting them!
  • Sells albums (with Synnara-specific POBs)
  • Sometimes sells other goods (Must making book, but not Red Sleeve merch)
  • You may need to place orders through Gmarket to ship internationally?
  • [Con] Synnara will not send their POBs to Gmarket

There are also other retailers like Ktown4U, Kpopmart, YesAsia, etc. where you can buy albums and those sales will count toward music charts. Anecdotal data points:

  • Ktown4U will charge additional shipping fees if items weigh more than they expect
  • There were multiple reports of SubKShop failing to send POBs for the Must album, and then not responding to customer service tickets or payment disputes. I would stay away from them!

Japan

  • Only ships to Japan, though you can ship to international addresses through Buyee (see more under Proxy Services)
  • You can change the language toggle to EN or KO and add items to your cart
  • Then change the language back to JP!!! (otherwise the next step doesn’t work)
  • From the cart, click on the Overseas Ordering button and proceed to checkout from Buyee

Albums can be purchased (with various store-specific POBs) from websites like Sony Japan, Tower Records, and Omni/7net. However, they also only ship to Japan addresses so you’ll need to use a proxy service. (You can also use a proxy to order from the JYP Japan store, if you don’t want to use Buyee.)

Local/Domestic Shops

There are local/domestic shops where albums will be marked up to cover the cost of international shipping and exchange rates, but you pay in local currency and are officially only charged for domestic shipping. This may or may not be cheaper than ordering directly from Korea/Japan, but you can compare your options. Some of these sites are:

  • USA: Choice Music LA, Music Plaza
  • Germany: NeoTokyo, J Online Store, Nolae
  • UK: SoKollab, Kyyo, KStars, Kpop Zone

Additionally, it’s worth doing a search to see if there are physical kpop stores in your area to visit! Those exist in a few cities.

Fanclubs (FCs)

The Korean FC opens a recruitment period for a set period of time through Interpark (linked above) and memberships are usually valid for a year (though the latest Hottest 8th FC benefits remained valid significantly past the official expiration date.)

There are two levels of membership: Hottest Gold (KR residents only) and Hottest Silver (international). Both will receive fan kits with photos and goodies (though you have to pay for shipping), and get discounted tickets to events. Domestic concert/fanmeet ticket sales open first to Hottest Gold members, then Hottest Silver, then everyone else.

You can join the Japanese FC (https://www.hottestjapan.com/) at any time. There are two options:

  • Annual membership
  • Receive a fan kit immediately (can send to a proxy address)
  • Bonus gift (different each year) for repeat subscribers
  • No fan kit
  • Various benefits are gradually unlocked with consecutive months of membership
  • Cancel anytime (takes effect immediately)

Both Japanese membership options are eligible for viewing restricted content and buying FC-specific merch like special album covers and kuji/lotto participation.

Bubble

Bubble is a subscription app where you can “chat” with the 2PM members in JYPE.

  • Download “bubble for JYPnation” from the App or Play Store
  • Choose your plan. Costs may vary depending on platform/country, but there are bundle deals so it’ll be something like: $4/mo for 1 member of your choice, $7/mo for 2 members, $10/mo for 3, or $13/mo for 4.

Members can send messages in a text format (which can be translated in-app), as well as photos and voice recordings. Sometimes you’ll see messages that mention your username… unfortunately they’re not talking to you directly, it’s just a generic {username} variable that gets populated with yours.

You can also send text-format replies to each member:

  • Send up to 3 replies max before the next message from the member
  • The reply count is reset after each new message and does not accumulate
  • If the member doesn’t send a new message for 7 days, you’ll get another 3 replies to send
  • There is a character limit per message - this limit increases the longer you’re subscribed

2PM members use the app with varying levels of consistency, and often disappear for weeks but then pop up with dozens of messages in a row. Examples of things that have happened on Bubble:

  • Jun.K using Hottest for iPhone tech support
  • Jun.K making up a whole-ass origin story for two random birds on a rooftop
  • Jun.K and Wooyoung singing songs (2PM and otherwise) and playing piano
  • Wooyoung playing songs from his sample Must LP before the official news
  • Junho talking about food and dieting
  • Junho sending unreleased pics from photoshoots
  • Chansung sending sweaty post-workout pics (prior to JYPE departure)

(There are Twitter accounts that share messages from Bubble, but you’re not supposed to post content publicly so I won’t link them here.)

Group Orders (GOs)

International shipping starts around 20 USD minimum but increases more gradually, so it’s often cheaper to combine with other fans in the same country to share int’l shipping costs, since domestic shipping will still be cheaper than ordering individually.

GOs are generally found/organized through Twitter. Here are some trustworthy Group Order Managers (GOMs):

USA

  • Organizes lots of GOs for albums and fanmade merch, and will also RT sale/trade threads or announcements for merch even if not hosting a GO
  • For albums/pre-order bonuses, you have the option for getting sealed albums or sorting photocards (you rank biases and she’ll try to give you your top choices)
  • For With Me Again, almost everyone got their top 2 biases, with a few people getting 3rd choice
  • She also posts lots of unboxing/flip-through videos on Youtube, and sells extra 2PM/other kpop merch on Instagram (same usernames)
  • Author of this doc lol 👋
  • Mostly runs GOs for various JK/WY/JH merch (both official+fanmade)
  • Will also host other GOs if there’s interest and Emily can’t host
  • Note: While everyone is welcome to join my GOs for fanmade goods, please refer to Guidelines for Joining Official MD GOs for JYPE merch
  • Mostly runs GOs for NK/JH merch when Emily doesn’t host
  • Also ran GOs for the WMA Fanclub albums, MUST LPs, and Chansung dolls

EU

If within Europe but outside the EU, you’d need to pay VAT twice so it’s better to just order from Korea

  • Organizes lots of GOs, with a few people who’ve posted thank you tweets

Singapore

  • She’s great! A+ merch enabler

Philippines

  • Usually opens GOs for 2PM, and also for other groups
  • Accepts requests/“pasabuy” (combination of 2 words, pasabay and buy which means they can buy what you want to buy) as long as you give them the link (ex: mercari pasabuy)
  • Can buy KR and JP merch
  • Price given is already all in (base price, ISF) + LSF
  • Ships worldwide (not really sure on this but this is written on her profile, you can dm her for more info)

Worldwide

  • Successfully hosted a GO for a bajillion different copies of WMA and Off the Record
  • Lives in Japan and ships internationally for people who need assistance outside of GOs

Secondhand / Flea Markets

Often, non-album merch is released with pre-order periods and once the pre-order period ends, production is fixed and you can no longer buy from official sources. If you’d like to collect older items (sold-out albums and/or pre-order merch), you’ll have to find someone who wants to sell their copies.

Websites to Check

A lot of sale threads pop up on Twitter (some common abbreviations in the Glossary)

[Worldwide] Always worth checking eBay - several items get posted there. GrapeMusicCD often resells official merch for fairly reasonable secondhand prices, though shipping can get expensive.

[USA] Mercari US (https://www.mercari.com/) exists, though items are posted infrequently.

[KR] Bunjang (https://m.bunjang.co.kr/) is the Korean flea market. You’ll need to purchase through a proxy service, though be aware that some listings ask for cash payment, which would not be possible.

[JP] Mercari JP (https://jp.mercari.com/) - a lot of stuff gets sold here, and it’s your best bet for finding older merch! You can search on their site but will have to purchase through proxy services.

[JP] Rakuma/Fril (https://fril.jp/) - another Japanese flea market. Fewer listings than Mercari.

Japanese Search Terms

Search (on Mercari JP and proxy sites) usually works better when using Japanese, so here are some common search terms:

  • Members
  • Jun.K: ジュンケイ
  • Nichkhun: ニックン
  • Taecyeon: テギョン
  • Wooyoung: ウヨン
  • Junho: ジュノ
  • Chansung: チャンソン
  • Items
  • Bulk buy: まとめ売り(for example  グッズ、CD, DVD)
  • Card: カード
  • Clear card: クリアカード
  • Doll: ドール
  • Figure: フィギュア
  • Goods: グッズ
  • Jacket card: ジャケカ
  • Pen Pen: ペンペン
  • Photo: ​​フォト
  • Photobook: フォトブック
  • Photocard: トレカ
  • Pin badge: ピンバッジ
  • Plush: ぬいぐるみ
  • Postcard: ポスト カード
  • Travel Alone (2PM solo photobooks): 一人旅

Proxy Services

Sometimes websites won’t ship internationally and/or won’t accept foreign credit cards, so you may need to use a proxy service.

Types

Buying service:

  1. You pay the proxy for the item cost
  2. The proxy orders from the merchant
  3. Items arrive, you choose and pay for a shipping method, and the proxy ships to you

Proxy/forwarding address:

  1. The proxy gives you a personal shopping address (warehouse address with a unique customer ID)
  2. You order from the merchant using that address and your own payment method, and let the proxy know to expect a package
  3. Items arrive, you choose and pay for a shipping method, and the proxy ships to you

Korea

  • I’ve used this for a GO where the website wouldn’t accept foreign cards
  • Also used this to order from Soundwave, after Okvit went crazy with shipping fees
  • Offers 3 months of warehouse storage for free
  • [Pro] Reasonable service fees (5% with a minimum of $9; other sites are 10+%)
  • [Pro] Verified + shipped within a week of package arrival at warehouse
  • [Pro] Records unboxing videos and sends photos upon order arrival for content verification
  • [Pro] Shipping tables for couriers and weights listed on website
  • [Con] Technically supports Bunjang purchases but the minimum item cost required is extremely high
  • Note: Payment is cheapest through Wise (formerly Transferwise), though Paypal is also accepted with a 10% fee instead of 5%
  • Creates a proxy address for you so you can order on your own and they’ll forward the package on arrival
  • Highly recommended as a forwarding proxy! Four people used it to forward ~17 combined packages, and had great experiences
  • Also offers a buying service, but [Con] you can only order 5 SKUs at a time, so would need to pay extra for package consolidation of multiple orders, and [Con] this takes several days to create an quote + another 2 or so days to purchase after payment
  • Offers 30-day warehouse storage for free
  • Charges in USD (maybe? I used two different yes-FTF cards and was charged FTFs for one but not the other…)
  • [Pro] Website offers a shipping calculator
  • [Pro] Proxy forwarding is pretty quick to process+ship
  • Note: Package consolidation took a week to process based on one anecdote, but was also extremely fast (< 1 day) for Before Midnight merch
  • Shipping labels are created the day of/after you pay, and shipped in the evening
  • [Con] Content verification and package consolidation cost extra
  • [Pro] But if you request a service like consolidation/vacuum-sealing and it won’t save you money, they’ll tell you and not charge you for requesting
  • [Pro] Allows purchases from Bunjang
  • [Con] No warehouse storage, so packages are forwarded without consolidation
  • [Con] Charges in USD with a fairly high conversion markup

There are many many other proxies available (Korgou, KoreanBuddy, AllThatSales, etc.) as well as articles comparing fee structures and service quality, so you can do some research or suggest other proxies you’ve had experience with.

Japan

Here’s a doc that a Stranger on the Internet wrote up about Japanese proxy sites: Proxy sites - rough guide

Buying services:

  • The official international partner for JYP Japan, Mercari JP, and other shops (provides an easy button that websites can add)
  • 300 JPY purchasing fee per item (+ additional fees for item verification)
  • Lets you search and order from other sites like Amazon, Yahoo (Shopping and Auctions), Rakuten, Rakuma/Fril, etc.
  • 30-day free storage
  • Note: To order from JYP Japan (https://jypj-store.com/en):
  • You can change the language toggle to EN or KO and add items to your cart
  • Then change the language back to JP!!! (otherwise the next step doesn’t work)
  • From the cart, click on the Overseas Ordering button and proceed to checkout from Buyee
  • [Pro] Reasonable shipping costs to the USA
  • [Pro] Free item consolidation as of Dec 2022
  • [Pro] Weighs items on arrival so you know what to expect
  • Lets you search and order from Amazon, Yahoo, Rakuten, Mercari, etc.
  • You can create a Buy Request for items on other official websites (like JYP Japan and Tower Records)
  • 500 JPY fee to purchase each unique item/SKU (unlimited duplicates of the same item are included in that fee)
  • [Pro] 45-day free storage
  • [Pro] Weighs items on arrival so you know what to expect
  • [Pro] Shipping calculator on their website
  • [Pro] Free item consolidation
  • No personal experiences with them but there are some reviews on YT / recommended by friends of friends
  • 500 JPY per item purchasing fee
  • [Pro] Free item consolidation
  • [Con] Will only store up to 15 items for free for up to 30 days
  • Do NOT use them to order from Amazon JP. Something about that pipeline is extremely broken and orders may be delayed 1+ month and/or canceled
  • 250 JPY fee per item
  • Lets you order from Mercari and other shops (again, do NOT order from Amazon if you want to receive your purchases…)
  • [Pro] 45-day free storage
  • [Pro] Free item consolidation
  • [Con] Doesn’t weigh items so you have no idea what to expect
  • [Con] Purchasing process is slow and customer service is pretty darn useless

Proxy address services:

** Note: Japan has a law where you’ll need to validate your name+address with ID/utility bills which may take a day or two, and your first package will need to be shipped to that address (subsequent packages can be sent elsewhere) **

  • Proxy address service for official sites (not Mercari or Rakuma)
  • Higher shipping fees since there are no service fees, but for about 2 weeks near the mid/end of each month, they release a 15-25% shipping coupon
  • [Pro] Ships with DHL/other couriers which are cheaper than EMS
  • [Pro] Free package consolidation
  • Will discard items after 30 days free storage, and [Con] dates are not tracked on the website
  • Note: Overall cheaper than Zenmarket if you’re ordering lots of different items (like choosing each 2PM member version) and use the monthly shipping coupon, but Zenmarket is cheaper if you’re ordering a lot of the same thing)
  • Referral link for Steph, if you so choose to use
  • Parent company of Buyee
  • Proxy address service
  • 60 day free warehouse storage, though package consolidation expires after 30 days
  • 1000 JPY fee to extend consolidation + storage periods for another 30 days
  • [Pro] Ships with DHL and other couriers in addition to EMS, with cheaper rates than RGX when there are no RGX shipping coupons
  • [Con] Package consolidation has additional fees

Misc Resources

ZooPM

Comparison pics of the ZooPM plushies/cushions released in Japan and Korea: https://twitter.com/protaector_/status/1309452571568820224 

Concerts

Not officially merch, but here’s a helpful guide written by someone else about concerts: Attending K-pop Concerts in Korea

Glossary

FC: Fanclub

  • Official 2PM memberships that provide benefits and discounts

GO: Group Order

  • Bulk merch orders to save on international shipping costs
  • Payments generally happen in two parts:
  • 1. Initial item costs (usually an estimate, like 100 JPY = 1 USD)
  • 2. Int’l shipping share + domestic shipping +/- difference for actual item cost

GOM: Group Order Manager

  • Person running a GO

LFB / WTS: Looking for Buyer / Want to Sell

  • Common abbreviations used in Twitter sale threads

LFS / WTB: Looking for Seller / Want to Buy

  • Common abbreviations used in Twitter seeking posts

LFT / WTT: Looking for Trade / Want to Trade

  • Common abbreviations used in Twitter trade requests

MD: Merchandise

  • Merch that’s sold separately from but themed around an album or fanmeet
  • Almost always sold with pre-order periods - after which fulfillment is locked, orders cannot be canceled, and new orders cannot be placed. Pay attention to deadlines!

PC: Photocard

  • Collect all the things!

POB: Pre-order Benefit

  • Retailer-specific benefits to lure people into buying from those sites
  • Often photocards, but Japan really likes clear files, and there are sometimes compact mirrors, postcards, or tri-fold cards
  • Generally 6 POB variations available (1 per member, and if you order 6 they’ll almost certainly give you 1 of each)
  • MD on Soundwave may come with multiple variations per member (e.g. 3 each for 18 total POBs) and they’ll send as even a member distribution as they can for the number of items ordered

SG: Season’s Greetings

  • Box kit (usually released in December with dates for the upcoming year) containing a calendar, diary/planner, and other goods like photocards, stickers, and keychains

GO Abbreviations

Used for PH and possibly other GOs, though less used for USA GOs

ISF: International Shipping Fee

  • This is the fee that you need to pay to ship your items from Korea/Japan to your country’s customs

LSF: Local Shipping Fee

  • This is the fee that you need to pay to ship your items from your customs to your doorstep

DOO: Date/Deadline of Order

  • Merch items are usually ordered on a pre-order basis and will no longer be available after the pre-order period
  • GOMs usually set a deadline as to when can the potential customers place their final orders to ensure they can check out all the items before the pre-order period ends and/or to avoid items selling out

DOP: Date/Deadline of Payment

  • GOMs usually set deadline of payment to ensure timely delivery of your orders to your doorsteps

PAYO: Pay as You Order

  • If the items that you order are in demand, GOMs would usually require you to pay immediately so they can check out the goods as soon as it is available on the website/offline store

MOD: Mode of Delivery

  • How the Goods will be delivered to you (ex: EMS) or which local courier will the GOMs use to deliver your goods (ex: J&T or LBC for PH)

MOP: Mode of Payment

  • How the GOMs will be paid (ex: Paypal, Credit Card, Bank Transfer)

OOS: Out of Stock

  • Emperor Penpen plushie
  • Good/merch will no longer be reproduced
  • Only hope of getting the item is buying secondhand from someone willing to sell

OC: Order Confirmation

  • GOMs will confirm your order after they have checked its availability
  • Usually received via email or DM

ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival

  • Estimated time when you will receive your goods
  • May of course be earlier or longer

FETA: Fast Estimated Time Of Arrival

  • 2 weeks to 1 month
  • In PH, this mode is much pricey since GOMs will ship out your goods ASAP

NETA: Normal Estimated Time of Arrival

  • 1.5 months to 2.5 months
  • In PH, this mode is the normal mode of shipping as the GOMs will fill up this big box (what we call as balikbayan box) together with merch orders from other people. In this way, all the people that has merch on the box (regardless of fandom group, as long as it can fit in the box) will split up on ISF on that one single box and save up on ISF