bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

knowledgeQuestion

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

The Korea Times

By Lee Gyu-lee
When Blackpink made their debut in the summer of 2016, the four-piece act garnered much attention for being K-pop powerhouse YG Entertainment’s first girl group in seven years since the debut of 2NE1.
The group, who have set astonishing milestones, celebrated their eighth anniversary on August 8, and released their concert film Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] in Cinemas on July 31.
The film brings to the screen the group’s concert in Seoul last year, a finale performance of their record-breaking world tour “Born Pink”. The group travelled to 34 countries for 66 concerts to perform in front of over 1.8 million fans.


The group were well received from the out, storming to success with their debut single album (distinct from a full-length album) Square One, which was released on August 8, 2016. The album’s two tracks, “Boombayah” and “Whistle”, came in at No 1 and No 2 on Billboard’s World Digital Songs chart, making Blackpink the first rookie girl group to do so with their debut songs.
Pop culture critic Kim Do-heon noted that Blackpink changed how K-pop artists are perceived in the global music scene.


“In the past, when K-pop groups made their way into the global music market, they were viewed as challengers trying to compete with their music … but Blackpink … live up to the reputation of true pop stars,” he said.
“They’ve created an image that many people aspire to, being on the same footing as Western pop stars, which makes them noteworthy.”
Blackpink have set various records since their debut, such as having the most views in the first 24 hours of releasing a song and being the fastest K-pop group to surpass 100 million views on YouTube, with “Pink Venom” in 2022.
The music video for “Pink Venom” received over 90 million views on the first day of its release and, with 94.5 million followers, Blackpink are also the most-followed music act on YouTube.
The group also reached first place on the album chart of the United Kingdom’s Official Charts and the United States’ Billboard after they released their second studio album, Born Pink, becoming the first K-pop girl group to do so.


Blackpink also recently hit 13 billion streams on Spotify and they were the world’s most streamed girl band last year, according to the streaming platform.
Their most-streamed songs – “How You Like That”, “Kill This Love”, “Pink Venom,” “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” and “Shut Down” – have surpassed 4 billion streams on the platform.
They made history again last year as the first Asian act to headline the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in the US and they were the first K-pop act to headline the UK festival BST Hyde Park.
Kim says Blackpink have become more than just a K-pop group. “Blackpink don’t have as many album releases or singles compared to other K-pop groups. Regardless, they’ve become a group with enormous influence worldwide.
“With their unique image and the individuality of each member, as well as their confident attitude reflected in their music, the group have built an extremely successful career, transcending music group to [become] their own brand.”


The members have also pursued solo careers, starting with Jennie in 2018.
Jennie became the first K-pop solo artist to make it into the US iTunes top 10 chart with her solo debut song “Solo”. Rose and Lisa made their solo debuts in 2021 with “On The Ground” and “LaLisa”, respectively.
Rose became the first artist to top Billboard’s Global 200 chart with both group and solo acts. Lisa garnered 1 billion streams for her debut album’s track “Money”, while “LaLisa” won her the best K-pop awards at the MTV Video Music Awards and MTV Europe Music Awards in 2022.
Jisoo released her first solo album, Me, last year and she became the first female K-pop solo artist to sell over a million copies of an album, by selling 1.17 million albums within the first week of its release.
Last year, the members renewed their group activities contract with their agency but parted ways to separate labels for their solo acts.


Jennie was the first to establish her own label, Odd Atelier, last December. Lisa and Jisoo started their own labels, Lloud and Blissoo respectively, this February. Rose has recently signed with hip-hop label The Black Label, led by producer Teddy.
The members continue to make headlines with their coming projects. Lisa is set to release her new single, “New Woman”, this week, while Jisoo will star in Coupang Play’s new zombie series Newtopia.
Read the full story at The Korea Times.


Why Chinese internet users love APT, hit single by Blackpink’s Rosé and Bruno Mars

K-pop megastars Jin from BTS and Shinee’s Minho are dropping solo albums in November

What is HKT x WestK Popfest? Cantopop’s Anson Lo of Mirror, Jorja Smith and more are set to perform

What connects APT, Blackpink’s Rosé and Bruno Mars’ new song, to Korea’s drinking culture?

K-pop, Mandopop and other Asian pop

Blackpink mark 8 years at top of K-pop, from debut to superstars with ‘their own brand’

Blackpink in a backstage photo at Coachella. The K-pop girl group have gone from strength to strength since their debut in 2016. Photo: Twitter/@BlackpinkOfficial

How K-pop group Stray Kids sang and danced their way to global success

South Korean K-pop group Stray Kids onstage at Seoul Festa 2022 in Seoul, Korea. Photo: AFP

K-pop stars Stray Kids have found global fame with their wide range of musical styles, and thrilled fans with their live performances. Now, they just need to equal that success in South Korea. Photo: AFP

Stray Kids onstage at Seoul Festa 2022 at Jamsil Stadium, in Seoul, Korea. Photo: AFP

Stray Kids arrive for the MTV Video Music Awards in Newark, New Jersey, in September 2023. From left: Changbin, I.N, Han, Felix, Lee Know, Seungmin, Hyunjin and Bang Chan. Photo: AFP

Stray Kids attend a red carpet event in Osaka, Japan, in November 2022. Photo: AFP

Le Sserafim fly-on-the-wall documentary divides opinion about K-pop girl group

K-pop girl group Le Sserafim have released a fly-on-the-wall documentary. Photo: Source Music


Fly-on-the-wall YouTube documentary Le Sserafim – Make It Look Easy has drawn both sympathy and criticism for its focus on the challenges members of the K-pop girl group face. Photo: Source Music

A still from K-pop girl group Le Sserafim’s newly released documentary.

The best new K-pop music dropping in August 2024 from Le Sserafim, Taemin, Nmixx and more

August will see K-pop album and single releases from a variety of acts including girl group Nmixx. Photo: JYP Entertainment

Taemin marks his return to solo work. Photo: BPM Entertainment

K-pop singer and actress Lee Hye-ri on why her new film role, in Victory, was ‘intense’

Lee Hye-ri at the 2024 New York Asian Film Festival. Photo: Chris Kammerud

Lee Hye-ri at the 2024 New York Asian Film Festival, where Victory, in which she has the lead role, had its world premiere and the actress won the Asia rising star award. Photo: Raymond Tisch

Lee (front) in a still from Victory. Photo: Mindmark & Annapurna Films

Lee in a still from reality series Agents of Mystery, currently on Netflix. Photo: Boram Park/Netflix

Lee after receiving the rising star Asia award at the 2024 New York Asian Film Festival. Photo: Rom Choi

Lee in a still from the 2021 K-drama My Roommate Is a Gumiho.

Lee in a still from the 2022 K-drama May I Help You.

A still from Victory. Photo: Mindmark & Annapurna Films

Lee (second from right), Park Se-wan (right) and Park Beom-su (second from left) at the 2024 New York Asian Film Festival. Photo: Chris Kammerud

14 of the best new K-dramas to watch in August 2024, including Disney+’s The Tyrant

Kim Seon-ho in a still from The Tyrant. Photo: Disney+

Kim Seon-ho in a still from The Tyrant on Disney+, one of 14 Korean drama series dropping in August. They include season two of Pachinko, romantic comedy Love Next Door starring Jung So-min and Jung Hae-in, and Jeon Jong-soo in period drama Queen Woo. Photo: Disney+

A promotional poster for Black Out.

Lifestyle

K-Pop

Bands

 Artists & celebrities

Entertainment

Culture

Film & TV

Artists & celebrities

The girl group, who debuted in 2016, have changed how K-pop artists are perceived in the global music scene, says one pop culture critic


K-pop girl group Blackpink have gone from strength to strength since the release of their first singles in 2016, and ‘become a group with enormous influence worldwide’, according to a pop culture critic.
