BLACKPINK Celebrates 10 Years: A Decade of Record-Breaking Achievements

《Songwriter's Insight by Min-Kyung Lee》
Min-Kyung Lee, a current singer-songwriter, shares music stories from a musician's perspective, analyzing hidden meanings and unheard behind-the-scenes stories.

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As BLACKPINK marks their 10th anniversary, the group has consistently expanded their reach, breaking numerous 'first' records along the way.

BLACKPINK's latest album 'DEADLINE' is set to be released on February 27 at 2 PM KST. This marks their comeback seven months after their single 'JUMP' and is their first album release since their second full-length album 'BORN PINK' in September 2022, two years and five months ago.

Debuting in August 2016, BLACKPINK celebrates a decade of achievements this year. Their first solo concert, held just two years after their debut in 2018, took place over two days at the KSPO DOME. Fast forward five years to 2023, and they became the first K-pop girl group to perform at the Gocheok Sky Dome. Their third world tour, 'DEADLINE,' kicked off at the Goyang Sports Complex Main Stadium, another first for a K-pop girl group.

The scale of their world tours has grown with each iteration. Their first tour spanned 17 countries with 36 shows, attracting approximately 472,000 attendees. The second tour, 'BORN PINK,' expanded to 66 shows across 34 cities worldwide, drawing in about 2.11 million fans and generating approximately $330 million in revenue, the highest-grossing concert tour in girl group history.

The 'DEADLINE' tour marked BLACKPINK's first all-stadium tour. In Paris, they doubled their audience from two years prior, attracting 110,000 fans at the Stade de France, and became the first K-pop female artists to perform at London's Wembley Stadium.

Their presence at major international music festivals has also grown. In 2019, just three years after their debut, they became the first K-pop girl group to perform on a sub-stage at Coachella. By 2023, they headlined the festival as the first Asian and K-pop artists to do so, drawing 250,000 attendees over two days. That same year, they headlined the BST Hyde Park festival in the UK, selling out 65,000 tickets as the first K-pop artists to do so.

The members have also achieved success as solo artists. After renewing their group contract with YG Entertainment at the end of 2023, BLACKPINK members pursued individual activities independently. Jennie, Lisa, and Jisoo have established their own agencies, while Rosé is active under The Black Label.

Rosé's collaboration with pop star Bruno Mars on 'APT.' has remained on top of global music charts, including the Billboard HOT 100 and Spotify's global chart. The track was nominated for 'Record of the Year,' 'Song of the Year,' and 'Best Pop Duo/Group Performance' at the Grammy Awards. Jennie and Lisa have also made their mark on the Billboard HOT 100, gaining widespread popularity.

Jisoo is focusing on her acting career. She stars in the Netflix series 'Monthly Boyfriend,' premiering on March 6, and recently appeared in the film 'Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint' as high school student Lee Ji-hye.

Min-Kyung Lee, Ten Asia Reporter 2min_ror@tenasia.co.kr