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Blackpink is currently one of the most popular girl groups and KPop groups in the world. The group, composed of Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé, and Lisa, debuted on August 8, 2016, with the single Square One, which was extremely well received by South Korean music fans.
Since their debut, the girls may not have released as many physical albums as we hoped, but we can be quite satisfied with the Blackpink merchandise that YG Entertainment has managed to deliver.
Everything you need to know about the K-Pop group BLACKPINK
The word K-pop has recently become almost synonymous with the letters B, T, and S. But there is another K-pop group breaking records as their music captures the attention of a global audience. The four women of Blackpink, who debuted as a group in 2016, form a multilingual performance powerhouse that connects with fans beyond borders. Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa may have just started touring globally, but a strong fan base extending well beyond South Korea already fuels their rapid rise.
The song "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" by Blackpink is currently the most viewed K-pop group video on YouTube, with 730 million views. (The 2012 single "Gangnam Style" by solo artist Psy remains the most viewed video by a Korean music group, with over 3 billion views). The group's social media audience also breaks records. Lisa, the main dancer and youngest member of the group, is the most followed female K-pop artist on Instagram with over 16 million followers.
Blackpink's schedule is filled with international opportunities to get closer to their fans, the Blackpink fandom is called "BLINK", a portmanteau of "black" and "pink." Later this month, they will become the first female K-pop group to perform at the Coachella music festival, before continuing the North American, European, and Australian legs of their first world tour.
This week, the group is releasing a new 5-track EP, "Kill This Love," which is already trending on social media and expected to top the charts. Here is everything you need to know about Blackpink, the girl group that is boosting the global popularity of K-pop.
Origins of the name Blackpink
The group's name was designed to contrast with the perception of femininity commonly associated with the color pink. When Blackpink debuted, their label YG Entertainment stated that the name aimed to convey that the group embodies more than just beauty. "I may look sweet, but I don't act like it," sings Jennie in the opening lines of "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du," echoing this message.
What sets Blackpink apart from other groups?
Blackpink's discography is limited – before "Kill This Love", the group had released fewer than 20 tracks since their 2016 debut, including Japanese versions of their Korean songs. Nevertheless, a handful of their singles not only charted on Billboard rankings but went viral online, with their signature choreographies regularly replicated by K-pop idols and global fans in dance covers.
A large part of the group's appeal lies in their fierceness, created by a mix of bold rap, powerful singing, and chic style. Although dark and edgy concepts are not new in K-pop girl groups, Blackpink showcases them through the imagery of their videos, such as the jewel-encrusted tank in "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du."
Blackpink members
Jisoo (Full name: Kim Jisoo), 24 years old
The oldest member of the group, Jisoo is a singer, often considered the mood maker of Blackpink. She has an eccentric sense of humor and a tendency to create songs on the spot about any topic – from the weather to craving chicken skewers. Jisoo appeared in a number of music videos and commercials in her pre-Blackpink years. Although she is the only member who does not speak English fluently, the singer is nonetheless trilingual, able to speak Korean, Japanese, and Chinese.
Jennie (Full name: Kim Jennie), 23 years old
The main rapper of Blackpink, who also sings, Jennie was a "trainee" for just under six years – the longest among the members. (As part of the trainee system in South Korea, aspiring pop idols audition with entertainment agencies to become trainees in hopes of debuting as artists one day). Jennie lived in New Zealand for a while before returning to South Korea in 2010, and she speaks English fluently in addition to Korean and Japanese. She was the first Blackpink member to release a solo track, titled "SOLO." The video showcased her versatility as a rapper and singer, while establishing her as a fashion icon thanks to more than 20 outfits worn in the three-minute clip.
Rosé (Full name: Park Chaeyoung), 22 years old
Born in New Zealand and raised in Australia – where she participated in YG Entertainment auditions and ranked first – Rosé also speaks English fluently. She is the group's main vocalist, and her distinct voice is easy to recognize. Rosé plays guitar and piano and frequently covers English and Korean songs. She recently shared a cover of Halsey's song "Eyes Closed" on her birthday as a gift to her fans, writing: "It's such a deep song and I remember when I recorded it, I needed the healing that this song brings me. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did singing it."
Lisa (Full name: Lalisa/Pranpriya Manoban), 22 years old
Lisa, the youngest member, known as the "maknae" is the main dancer of Blackpink. Born and raised in Thailand, Lisa was part of a dance team at a young age before auditioning to become a K-pop idol trainee. Besides Thai, Lisa speaks Korean – which she started learning after moving to South Korea in 2011 – English, Japanese, and basic Chinese. Although she raps and sings, it is Lisa's "focused camera" dance recordings, a combination of fluid body rolls, sharp hits, and captivating facial expressions, that often become the subject of Blackpink's viral videos.
How did Blackpink's popularity grow?
Blackpink officially debuted in 2016 with the single album Square One, consisting of two songs – "Whistle" and "Boombayah." The debut was highly anticipated on the K-pop scene, as Blackpink was the first girl group from YG Entertainment, the major company housing powerful groups like BIGBANG and 2NE1, in seven years. "Boombayah" made the group the fastest musical act at the time to reach number one on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart, and their success continued with other releases the following year.
In 2018, Blackpink received a new level of international attention when they became the highest-charting K-pop girl group on Billboard with the single "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" and the EP Square Up. "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" reached number 55 on the Billboard Hot 100 – surpassing the English version of the song "Nobody" by the Wonder Girls, which had reached number 76 in 2009 – while Square Up reached number 40 on the Billboard 200. A few months later, the group collaborated with Dua Lipa on the track "Kiss and Make Up," reaching a new audience with a bilingual song that currently has over 200 million streams on Spotify.
The potential for a more global footprint became evident when Blackpink signed with Interscope Records and Universal Music Group last October. YG Entertainment partnered with the label to promote the group internationally. Shortly after, Blackpink made their American TV debut performing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, then on Good Morning America.
Where to start with their music?
To discover Blackpink, start with "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du," the record-breaking anthem, with impactful rap verses and dynamic trap beats. The song is named after the sound of gunshots, and the most recognizable choreography includes finger guns and hip swings. In the video, singer Jisoo walks through a crowd filming her with phones held out. She stumbles and falls, and the orientation of the phones turns to simulate guns pointed at her. This scene seems to illustrate how quickly attitudes toward celebrities can shift from admiration to aggression.
Besides "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du," singles like "As If It's Your Last" and "Playing With Fire" have energetic melodies with lyrics expressing love and passion. The track "Stay," on the other hand, is a rare ballad from the group, highlighting Jennie and Lisa's softer rap, as well as Jisoo and Rosé's voices over acoustic melodies.
How did Blackpink become so popular on social media?
With each new release, Blackpink's social media followers have increased. Not only is Lisa the most followed female K-pop idol on Instagram, but Blackpink has the most followed K-pop group account on the platform with 16.4 million followers as of April 2019. Before the release of "Kill This Love," teaser photos of individual members sporting new hair colors and serving fierce looks each received over two million likes on the official account. On Twitter, the signature phrase from the group's first song, "Boombayah" – "Blackpink in your area" – regularly trends, with Blackpink announcing new plans to literally enter international fans' areas.