Will K-pop sensation Blackpink go their separate ways or continue their musical journey together? Rumours of the girl group splitting have been circulating for months now, but members have yet to comment. Fans are demanding confirmation from the band.
Having debuted in August 2016 with single album Square One, the quartet’s seven-year contract with YG ended in August this year. The group recently wrapped up their “Born Pink” tour – the largest world tour for a K-pop girl group, which attracted 1.8 million concertgoers worldwide – in Seoul on September 17.
Blackpink are considered the world’s biggest K-pop girl group. They topped the Billboard 200 album chart in 2022, a first for a Korean girl group, with Born Pink, and they are the most-followed musical act on YouTube, with more than 90 million subscribers. As a global pop culture phenomenon, they played a crucial role in cementing YG’s status as a K-pop giant.
4 0f IU’s best screen roles as K-pop star’s concert film comes to cinemas
4 0f IU’s best screen roles as K-pop star’s concert film comes to cinemas
Renewing contracts with successful K-pop idols can be tricky, as they often demand more money and receive better offers from other labels.
All eyes are on Blackpink to see whether it can be one of the rare girl groups to defy the “seven-year curse” – where groups often disband after seven years – the longest possible single contract period between the members and the agency stipulated by the Korea Fair Trade Commission.
“It’s challenging for a high-profile K-pop group to stand the test of time, especially when each member has high brand value,” music critic Jung Min-jae told The Korea Times.
