KPOP Meaning
RAK is fan shorthand for a song that tops the real-time charts of Korean music services at the same moment. It has no official definition. iChart, which defines the All-Kill records, tracks only two achievements: the All-Kill (AK) and the Perfect All-Kill (PAK). Fans do not agree on which services or which hour count toward an RAK, so the word is best read as enthusiasm rather than as a record. When you need something verifiable, use iChart's AK or PAK instead.
Usage
Mostly seen in fan posts celebrating a strong debut hour. Even news outlets name this state differently: a 2018 Soompi report called topping the realtime charts of six major sites plus iChart a "certified all-kill." The realtime charts themselves have changed, too; VIBE and FLO dropped theirs in 2020 and Melon announced it would follow. Avoid RAK when citing records, since iChart does not record them; use AK or PAK instead.
Examples
- Even when fans post that a new song "got an RAK," the only official counts are iChart's All-Kill and Perfect All-Kill records.
- Some fans use RAK and AK interchangeably, so spell out which charts were topped.
In context
Sources
- iChart: About iChart
What we checked
iChart: About iChart
- Soompi: WINNER Achieves First Ever Certified All-Kill With “Everyday” (2018-04-06)
What we checked
Soompi: WINNER Achieves First Ever Certified All-Kill With “Everyday” (2018-04-06)
- iNews24: Melon also abolishes its real-time chart — what about Genie and Bugs? (2020-05-21)
What we checked
iNews24: Melon also abolishes its real-time chart — what about Genie and Bugs? (2020-05-21)
- KBIZoom: 8 K-pop idol debut songs that achieved Real Time All-Kill: Half are from YG (2022-08-22)
What we checked
KBIZoom: 8 K-pop idol debut songs that achieved Real Time All-Kill: Half are from YG (2022-08-22)