Excited to buy your favorite K-Pop group’s new album? Whether you’re ordering directly from a K-Pop store or you’re buying from a local group order, you may have the chance to get your hands on a POB.
Not sure what POB means in K-Pop? Don’t worry; you’re not alone! Even if you’re a veteran K-Pop fan, POBs only recently became popular on the collecting scene.
Thankfully, we’ve got you covered with this easy guide. Read on for all you need to know before you buy.
POB meaning in K-Pop
In a nutshell: POB stands for ‘pre-order benefit’. POBs are additional limited edition items (also known as ‘album inclusions’) that come with a pre-ordered K-Pop album. Keep reading to find out what a POB looks like, how to get one, how much they cost, and more.
What kind of inclusions can be POBs?
Any kind of album inclusion can be a pre-order benefit, but common POBs include:
- Photocards
- Postcards
- Posters
- Polaroids
- Bookmarks
- Stickers
- Holographic or lenticular cards
Some POBs feature individual members, while others are made using group photos. Some stores may offer a full set of benefits with each purchase — for example, every member’s photocard. In other cases, you’ll only receive one random benefit per order.
Are POBs official?
POBs are considered official merchandise, just as standard album inclusions are. K-Pop agencies work with album retailers to create the benefits, which are then manufactured and shipped to customers like you.
That said, some smaller K-Pop stores or group order managers may offer their own fanmade pre-order benefits — polaroids created using your bias’s Instagram selfies, for example. These items are not considered official and may infringe on copyrights. If you’re looking for agency-approved POBs, make sure to order from a trusted retailer.
Purchasing POBs
Where can I get a POB?
As mentioned, K-Pop companies work with selected stores to offer POBs. If you’re not sure which stores offer benefits for your favorite group, try checking the group’s Twitter. Most agencies will tweet or retweet links to all stores offering official POBs.
If you’re still not sure, some trusted Korean K-Pop stores that often offer pre-order benefits include:
Many groups’ POBs are only available from Korea-based retailers, but more and more K-Pop agencies are starting to work with overseas stores too. The following international K-Pop stores often carry official pre-order benefits:
If your favorite group is lucky enough to have a U.S. agency or distributor, you may also find POBs in stores like Target and Barnes & Noble. Be wary of POBs on Amazon, meanwhile, as the platform is filled with unofficial sellers.
When can I get a POB?
As the name ‘pre-order benefit’ suggests, you’ll usually need to pre-order your favorite group’s album to get a POB. As such, they’re considered more rare than other album inclusions.
That said, some stores continue to ship out POBs until they run out of stock, even after the album release date. If you buy quickly enough, you may still be in luck.
How much does a POB cost?
One of the best things about POBs is that they’re completely free with each album purchase! You won’t have to pay any additional costs on top of the standard album price.
If POBs are free, what’s in it for the store? It’s all about beating the competition. By offering pre-order benefits, K-Pop stores can encourage more shoppers to choose them over other retailers.
Note: If you don’t manage to snag a POB on time, many fans sell their unwanted pre-order benefits on eBay, Instagram, and Facebook Marketplace. However, because of their limited nature, POBs tend to sell for higher prices than regular album cards.
How can I choose which POB I get?
Since pre-order benefits often feature individual idols, you may be wondering how you can choose your bias’s POB when you buy an album.
First, take a look at the listing on your chosen store. Some retailers will allow you to choose which POB you want using a dropdown menu. However, you’ll find that the majority are listed as “random” (or ‘랜덤’ in Korean), which means you won’t be able to select your favorite member directly.
But, that doesn’t mean there’s no way for you to secure your bias. If you’re worried about missing out on your favorite member with a random pre-order benefit, there are two possible solutions:
- Join a group order – Find a trusted group order (GO) manager in your local area. When you order a POB through a GO, you’ll often get the chance to specify which member(s) you’d prefer.
- Trade with another fan – Social media platforms like Instagram and auction sites like eBay are home to many communities of K-Pop collectors. If you don’t receive your bias’s POB, you’ll likely find a fellow fan out there who’s happy to trade with you.
How do you say ‘POB’ in Korean?
If you’re ordering from a Korea-based store and you’re not fluent in Korean, it can be hard to work out whether pre-order benefits are available. Never fear — you just need to look out for the Korean word for POB:
예약특전 – pronounced “ye-yak-teuk-jeon’
The word ‘예약’ translates to ‘reservation’, similar to the word ‘pre-order’. ‘특전’, meanwhile, means ‘privilege’ or ‘benefit’.
Conclusion
Now you know: a POB, or pre-order benefit, is a limited edition item included with your pre-ordered K-Pop album. You can score free official POBs when you order an album from a participating retailer before the release date.
POB FAQs
Learn more K-Pop lingo:
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KHH Meaning in K-Pop: What Exactly is Korean Hip Hop?
OT Meaning in K-Pop: What is OT7? OT12? OT5?
FOTG Meaning in K-Pop: What is This Unique Position?
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