94.2 Million Subscribers: Fans Await ‘Full BLACKPINK’

Despite being inactive for 10 months, Blackpink, the most successful girl group in K-Pop history, continues to hold a strong presence. As younger girl groups eagerly await the “post-Blackpink”era, Blackpink maintains their stronghold, with a record-breaking 94.2 million YouTube subscribers, surpassing even other K-Pop groups. Though each member is currently pursuing individual activities after signing with new agencies, their impact remains strong. However, fans are still yearning for a full Blackpink comeback.

Blackpink, 4 members, 4 colors… Different choices

In December of last year, the four members of Blackpink renewed their “group activity”contract with YG Entertainment. However, since then, they have each pursued their own individual paths.

Jennie, Lisa, and Jisoo have all launched their own separate labels – Odd Atelier, LLOUD, and BLISSOO, respectively. In contrast, Rosé recently became a member of The Black Label, which is headed by Teddy, the renowned producer of Blackpink. This happened just last month.

Their approaches also differ. While Jennie was known for her mysterious concept during her time in YG, she is now increasing her engagement with the public. This is evident in her appearances on popular TV shows like tvN’s “Apartment 404″and KBS 2TV’s “The Seasons,”where she is showcasing her versatility in variety shows. Additionally, she collaborated with Zico on the hit song “Any Song,”which topped the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart, further demonstrating her impact. Most recently, she hosted a listening party for global pop sensation Billie Eilish, who visited Korea last month, further diversifying her activities.

Lisa’s main priority is her music career. Her recent release, the single “Rockstar,”which came out last month, reached the 8th spot on Spotify’s global chart, making her the highest-ranked female K-pop solo artist in the platform’s history. This achievement can be attributed to her recent partnership with RCA Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music, as she ventures into solo endeavors.

Jisoo has shifted her focus to acting and has secured roles in the movie “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint” and the OTT (online video service) Coupang Play’s “Influencer.” Similarly, Rosé, who had been relatively inactive outside of Blackpink promotions, has also revealed her plans for new ventures after signing with a new agency.

According to music critic Kang Tae-kyu, the unique identities of each Blackpink member had already been predicted. While their singing careers were only the beginning, their stage experiences have prepared them to confidently display their talents in different areas, all thanks to their dedicated fan base.

When will we see the complete Blackpink?

Despite finishing their world tour “Born Pink”at the Gocheok Dome in Seoul last September, Blackpink decided to go on hiatus. However, their devoted fandom eagerly awaits their return. According to Playboard, a popular YouTube channel analysis site, Blackpink’s channel subscribers have grown by 4 million in the past year. Additionally, their monthly views have been consistently increasing by approximately 100 million. Clearly, there is still a strong global K-Pop following eagerly anticipating Blackpink’s comeback.

The specific length of the contract between Blackpink and YG for group activities has not been revealed. Experts in the industry speculate that the primary focus of the contract involves producing a new album and embarking on a global tour, and it is expected to span at least 2-3 years to fulfill these obligations.

Blackpink’s “Born Pink”tour, which spanned from October 2022 to September 2023, consisted of 66 performances in 34 cities worldwide, lasting for a full year. The tour was a huge success, generating approximately 29 billion won in ticket sales and drawing 1.8 million fans, according to U.S. touring data. Given this schedule, it is anticipated that Blackpink will release a new album in the first half of the upcoming year and embark on another world tour. YG, the agency in charge of Blackpink’s group activities, has stated that the group will likely begin their activities next year, but has not revealed any further details at this time.