Sometimes a blink is all it takes to fall in love. At least when the object of affections is the record-breaking all-girl K-pop group, Blackpink. Psy came in like a wrecking ball with Gangnam Style and showed the world the power of K-pop. Bands such as BTS, Girls’ Generation, Monsta X and Blackpink grabbed that momentum and carried forward the musical baton in style.
Blackpink is made up of Rosé (Roseanne Park), Jisoo (Kim Ji-soo), Lisa (Lalisa Manoban) and Jennie (Jennie Kim). They chose the name Blackpink to reclaim the colours and turn them into a symbol of what they stand for: fierce, fun, feminine, fabulous and savage. Popularly referred to as South Korea’s pride, fans have been trending #BlackpinkPavedTheirOwnWay on Twitter all day.
Music to your ears
Considered one of this generation’s most popular K-pop acts, Blackpink has released back-to-back hits that are really fun and hard to not play on loop. They dropped their first two tracks ‘Boombayah’ and ‘Whistle’ in 2016 to instant success. We’re talking topping the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart kind. In 2018, they made history when their single ‘Ddu-Du Ddu-Du’ debuted at number 55 on the Billboard Hot 100, making them the highest-charting K-pop girl group on the Billboard Hot 100. They further went on to solidify their popularity and diversity by collaborating with Dua Lipa on Kiss and Make Up, Lady Gaga on Sour Candy and Selena Gomez on Ice Cream. They finally released their first Korean studio album, The Album, in 2020 with the single ‘Lovesick Girls’. The Album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200.
The fabulous four
The foursome live up to the name of the band – they’re feminine yet edgy with just the right amount of cool that makes them aspirational but not impossibly so. While all four are good singers, Jennie and Lisa also double up as rappers while Rosé and Jisoo belt out the softer notes. The Blackpink ladies are style icons who have amassed a massive fan following on social media. They’re also global brand ambassadors for luxury brands: Jisoo for Dior, Jennie for Chanel, Rosé for Yves Saint Laurent and Lisa for Celine.
They’re redefining popularity
Yes, they’ve broken Billboard records and rewritten history. But there’s more. With over 55 million subscribers, they’re also ruling the YouTube scene. In 2019, they made history when they became the first-ever K-pop group to perform at Coachella. That same year, their single, Kill This Love, became the most viewed music video debut in YouTube history when it garnered 56.7 million views in just 24 hours.
Their official fans are called Blink
Okay, maybe it’s not as fierce as ARMY (the official name for BTS fans), but the name Blink, a portmanteau derived from the Blackpink, and allegedly coined by the band members, is a cute enough. If you’re going to be a Blink, add these words to your vocabulary.
They have their own Netflix documentary
Ever wondered how Blackpink turns in those explosive performances, sick dance moves and enviable vocals? Sheer talent combined with an insane amount of hard work. At least that’s the takeaway you get when you watch their Netflix documentary Blackpink Light Up the Sky. While it isn’t easy being a global phenomenon, director Caroline Suh also manages to showcase the warmth and camaraderie the four women share, reminding us that at the end of the day, stars are just like us.
