Blackpink is a South Korean girl group under YG entertainment, consisting of four members, Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa. Within the course of 7 years, the group’s impressive catalogue includes two full-length studio albums, twelve singles, and high-profile collaborations with international pop veterans such as Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez, Cardi B, and Lady Gaga. With the exception of Jisoo, who chose to embark on an acting career, the remaining three members of Blackpink have also shown off their skills as soloists and achieved similar success.
In an entertainment industry where the
Hallyu wave is taking the world by storm, Blackpink has rightfully earned its respected status as a leading girl group. Their music videos for “
Kill This Love” (2019) and “
How You Like That” (2020) both broke the Guinness World Records for the most viewed music video in 24 hours. The four-piece Korean girl group was also recognized as
one of the most powerful celebrities in South Korea and awarded ‘Entertainment of the Year’ by the
Time in 2022. With such respectable popularity and influence, the future of Blackpink after the first seven-year contract receives considerable attention from not only the K-pop community, but also the general public. In this article, we will explore two inevitable scenarios for the YG girls.
It goes without saying that Blackpink is still at their peak, and their longevity is undeniable, thus a disbandment does not seem very practical for both the girls and YG. Their sophomore album, Born Pink, managed to top the
Billboard 200, and the
UK Album Chart, becoming the first group since Destiny’s Child to do so. The lead single, “Pink Venom” also managed to become the first K-Pop group’s song to top the
Australian ARIA Single Chart. To further promote the album, the quartet embarked on a world tour with show dates in Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania.
Blackpink during their Born Pink World Tour concert in London
The concept of girl groups is no longer popular in the western pop music industry, with the last girl group having a considerable impact being the United Kingdom’s Little Mix, who
announced their hiatus earlier in 2022. In addition, the West has been proved to be a prominent market for K-Pop acts to venture into, with Blackpink’s male compatriots BTS achieving worldwide success. All these factors create a market where Blackpink is unchallenged by any other girl group, while public interest is constantly increasing. With all these factors being considered, YG will undoubtedly seek to extend the contract with the girls.
What makes an extension even more alluring to YG Entertainment is that Blackpink also brings in non-music profits for the company. Each of its members currently endorses numerous high-end fashion houses: Jennie for Chanel and Calvin Klein, Jisoo for Dior and Cartier, Rosé for Saint Laurent and Tiffany & Co., and Lisa for Céline and Bulgari.
While the previous scenario is more likely to take place because of its obvious profitable advantages, there are warning signs that a disbandment of Blackpink could also occur. At the seventh-year milestone of their careers, there is a chance the girls might have grown out of interest in Blackpink’s activities. During their Born Pink world tour, multiple fan accounts pointed out the lack of energy the members put into their performances. Whether it is because of their exhausting schedules, or simply their uninterest in performing, the girls have seemed to partially lose the excitement and passion they once gave in their first-ever performances of “Whistle” and “Boombayah”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvv6tNID5YQDisbandment, heartbreaking as it sounds to the Blinks - the official name for Blackpink’s fandom - might present individual chances for the members. As Blackpink is undisputedly still on top of their game, it is a safe bet that their popularity as individuals post-breakup will not decline significantly.
In this case, Jisoo will be very likely to pursue a full-time career as an actress. The oldest member of Blackpink landed a leading role in “Snowdrop” on JTBC in 2021. Blessed with a unique voice and a beautiful face that fit the Korean beauty standards, however, in comparison to the remaining pieces of Blackpink, Jisoo is the weakest in terms of dancing and singing skills, which is a possible reason why she is the only one who has not yet launched a solo debut as of this moment. A solo career in acting is thus naturally the safest and most practical choice for Jisoo.
The “ace” of Blackpink, Jennie will probably continue to be the most famous and successful member in the scenario of a split up. Two years after her debut with Blackpink, Jennie already managed to earn a number-one hit “Solo”, proving that she is capable of making it big on her own. In addition, Jennie is also undoubtedly the most marketable female idol right now, having reportedly earned around
$4.1 million for her endorsements in 2022. If Blackpink were to break up, it is likely that Jennie will either continue as a solo singer or put her musical career on hold and fully engage in being a model.
New Zealand-born main vocalist Rosé, without any uncertainty, will pursue a solo career in singing. Rosé has previously released her debut album “R” in 2020 with the lead single “On the Ground” to significant success. However, it is unsure if Rosé will stay under YG’s wings, as the Australian-raised singer’s artistic visions seem to be limited in her current company. As her debut songs were entirely written and sung in English, it is possible that Rosé will part ways to embark on an international career.
The only foreign member of Blackpink, Lisa will most likely continue to have a solo singing career. The Thai native does not seem to find success in South Korea, at least compared to her fellow bandmates, however, her solo releases were incredibly successful in other markets. For her solo debut, Lisa earned herself multiple accolades, being the
first K-Pop act to win an MTV Video Music Awards in 2022. Throughout the career span of seven years, the main dancer of Blackpink has showcased her talents, so a possible professional career as a dancer is also not out of the question.
In less than a month, Blackpink will continue making history by being the first K-Pop act to headline one of the world’s biggest music festivals, Coachella. Whatever the future holds for the four-piece girl group, it is fair to say Blackpink has created a respectable legacy that puts them on par not only with their K-Pop seniors like Girls Generation but also with legendary girl groups of the last decades like Spice Girls, Destiny’s Child, etc.
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