The contract between BLACKPINK and YG is set to expire in August 2023,
which has caused concern among their fans regarding the future of the group and whether
they can overcome the "7-year curse." They have the option to continue developing their
unique style or pursue individual career paths. Although no official decision has been made,
the journey of the four girls has been remarkable and unforgettable. Let's take
a moment to reflect on the path that YG's four talented and highly-trained idols
have taken to reach the pinnacle of their career and become Kpop industry legends.
The top strictly chosen and trained idols
BLACKPINK has been in the Kpop scene for almost 7 years and has achieved
unparalleled success as one of the most prominent gen3 girl groups, as well as
having a tremendous global influence. Their musical talents, fashion sense,
and stunning looks have been significant factors in spreading the Hallyu wave.
YG Entertainment, their agency, is renowned for producing many legendary idol groups
with unique music styles like BigBang, 2NE1, iKON, WINNER, and more. YG has one of the most
demanding selection and training processes for trainees in Korea. The four BLACKPINK
members underwent years of training - Jennie for six years, Lisa and Jisoo for five years,
and Rosé for four years - before their official debut in the summer of 2016.
Jennie is the group's main rapper, born in Seoul and raised in New Zealand. She
joined YG in 2010 and underwent the longest training period of six years.
Jisoo is the "authentic" Korean member, trained for five years before her debut. The youngest
member, Lisa, left Thailand to become a YG trainee in 2011 and trained for five years.
Finally, Rosé - the group's main vocalist - was born in New Zealand and raised in
Australia. She won over 700 candidates in a Sydney audition and joined YG Entertainment in 2012.
Jennie once mentioned the rigorous training process,
saying, "During the six years of training, I had to practice until 2am and learn every skill,
including singing, dancing, language, and behavior." Rosé also revealed that
they trained for 14 hours a day, each session lasting for 13 consecutive days.
After years of training, BLACKPINK debuted with their unique and catchy
music that attracted the public. On August 8, 2016, the four girls officially kicked
off the era of a legend with their two mega hits, "Boombayah" and "Whistle."
Addictive and sensational music
In 2016, the group made their debut with two music videos, "Boombayah" and "Whistle," featuring their
iconic rap line, "Blackpink in your area." The songs quickly topped the music charts both in
their home country of Korea and internationally. "Whistle" peaked at number seven on seven Korean
music charts including Melon, Mnet, Bugs, olleh, Soribada, Genie, Naver, and Monkey3,
and achieved an "all-kill" on those charts within hours of its release. The song also helped
BLACKPINK become the fastest girl group in Kpop history to win a music award on Inkigayo, just 14
days after their debut. Meanwhile, "Boombayah" dominated the iTunes charts in 14 countries,
showing that BLACKPINK had truly captured the public's attention with their debut. In 2016,
BLACKPINK also won five Rookie of the Year awards at prestigious award ceremonies like MAMA 2016,
Golden Disk Awards, Asia Artist Awards, and Melon Music Awards 2016.
In 2017, BLACKPINK returned with their summer smash hit, "As If It's Your Last,"
breaking records by reaching 100 million views on the MV in less than 17 hours,
making them the fastest K-pop group to do so at the time. The song also
performed well on domestic music charts and the Billboard World Songs Chart.
In 2018, BLACKPINK's first mini-album, Square Up, was released and achieved explosive success,
propelling the group to the peak of their fame. The title track, "Ddu-du Ddu-du," trended at #1
in four major countries, including the US, UK, South Korea, and Japan,
as well as in many other countries within 24 hours of its release. The music video
also gained 36.2 million views and became the second most-viewed music video in the world at
that time. It is worth noting that at this point, BLACKPINK had only been active for about 2 years.
Following the success of "Ddu-du Ddu-du," BLACKPINK continued to maintain their peak
position through subsequent mini and full-albums, as well as commercial projects. From their fiery
Coachella 2019 performance of "Kill This Love" to the release of their full-length album,
"The Album," featuring hits like "How You Like That" and "Lovesick Girls" in 2020,
and the 2022 mini-album, "Pink Venom," the girls have continued to
showcase their musical prowess and heated attraction. The first full-length album,
"The Album," sold 1.2 million copies in less than a month after its release,
making BLACKPINK the first Kpop girl group to achieve over 1 million album sales.
BLACKPINK's music is akin to an "addictive substance" due to the
involvement of famous producers from YG, such as Teddy, R.Tee, Bekuh Boom,
and Millenium. The combination of powerful hip-hop beats with House,
EDM, and other genres have contributed to the creation of BLACKPINK's signature hits,
propelling the group to become one of the leading girl groups in Korea and internationally.
They not only captivate their audience with their addictive music, but also with their investment in
their image, and unique and creative concepts in their music videos. Each video is filled
with vibrant colors and diverse backgrounds, showcasing a spirit of freedom, independence,
and power that resonates with a vast number of fans. It is likely for this reason that
BLACKPINK's music videos consistently garner huge views on YouTube and other platforms.
The group's reputation extends far beyond Korea and reaches
an international audience. They were the first Kpop group to perform at Coachella,
one of the largest music festivals in the United States, and have collaborated with
a series of top US-UK music stars such as Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, and Cardi B.
Orientation against the majority and concentration on individual activities
Under YG Entertainment, BLACKPINK stands out from the majority of Kpop groups by rejecting
the common formula. Other companies prioritize group activities over individual pursuits and
only allow idols to debut solo once they have a solid fanbase and enough experience. In contrast,
YG allows BLACKPINK to step out of their comfort zones and break
the mold by building and promoting individual brands for each of them.
Jennie released her single "Solo" in 2018, and Rosé followed up with the release of her album
"R" and the title track "On the Ground" in 2021. In September of the same year,
Lisa threw her album "Lalisa" with unprecedented achievements. While Jisoo has not yet had a solo
project, she has been promoted to acting. Earlier this year, YG announced that Jisoo
will debut as a soloist, meaning that all four girls will have music products of their own.
In the fashion field, BLACKPINK has also successfully built their own "empire" as brand
ambassadors. Jennie represents Chanel, Hera, and Calvin Klein; Jisoo represents Dior and Cartier;
Lisa represents Celine and Bvlgari, and Rosé represents Saint Laurent and Tiffany&Co. These
are all top-notch, prestigious brands with significant influence in the fashion industry.
Whenever BLACKPINK members show up, they set trends with their outfits. YG has successfully
combined music with fashion to create a "high-end" image for the four girls since their debut.
BLACKPINK’s on-going shine at the peak of the Kpop world
BLACKPINK has come a long way and has established a strong presence by expanding their influence
across all fields. Their current resounding success is a result of their hard work,
talent, and unwavering passion for music. It may take a long time for the Kpop industry
to produce another all-around girl group like BLACKPINK under YG's management. Let us hope
that the 4 girls will renew their contract and continue to shine even brighter together.