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The Story

 

🖤💗 BLACKPINK: The Story

🎶 Formation and Trainee Days (2010–2016)

  • YG Entertainment (home to BIGBANG and 2NE1) began planning a new girl group around 2011, initially called “Future 2NE1.”
  • Over 50 trainees rotated through the project during its development.
  • The final members — Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa — were chosen after years of intense training.

Here’s how each member joined:

  • Jennie: Joined YG in 2010 after returning from studying in New Zealand. She was the first confirmed member and trained the longest (about 6 years).
  • Lisa: Auditioned for YG in Thailand in 2010 — she was the only one accepted out of 4,000 applicants. She became YG’s first non-Korean artist.
  • Jisoo: Joined YG in 2011 and was known for her acting and visuals early on.
  • Rosé: Born in New Zealand, raised in Australia — she joined after placing #1 in YG’s 2012 Australian audition.

They trained in singing, dancing, rapping, acting, and multiple languages (Korean, English, Japanese, Thai).

🌸 Debut (2016) – The Birth of a Phenomenon

  • BLACKPINK officially debuted on August 8, 2016, with the single album “Square One”, featuring:
    • “BOOMBAYAH” (their debut stage anthem)
    • “Whistle” (which won #1 on music shows just 13 days after debut)

🔥 Fun fact: They were the fastest girl group to win a music show award in K-pop history at the time.

Their name — BLACKPINK — means that “pretty (pink) isn’t everything; they have a strong (black) side too.”

🚀 Rise to Fame (2017–2018)

  • 2017: “As If It’s Your Last” became their first global viral hit — colorful, summery, and more upbeat than their debut.
  • 2018: Their first mini album ‘Square Up’ dropped with the monster hit “DDU-DU DDU-DU.”
    • The music video hit 1 billion views, making BLACKPINK the first K-pop girl group to do so.
    • The same year, they became the most-subscribed music group on YouTube, a title they still hold.

🌍 Global Expansion (2019)

  • Released “Kill This Love” (April 2019) — a powerful, cinematic anthem about breaking free from toxic love.
  • Performed at Coachella 2019, becoming the first K-pop girl group ever to perform at the festival.
  • Embarked on their first world tour, covering Asia, Europe, and North America.

💬 Rosé later said:

“We went from performing in small practice rooms to stadiums filled with Blinks. It didn’t feel real.”

💎 The Album Era (2020)

  • Released pre-single “How You Like That”, which broke YouTube’s 24-hour record. Shop a How You Like that Hoodie here.
  • Followed by “Ice Cream” featuring Selena Gomez — their first full English track.
  • Dropped their long-awaited first studio album, “THE ALBUM”, with hits like:
  • It debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200, making them the highest-charting female K-pop act in U.S. history at that time.

🎤 Solo Projects (2021–2023)

Each member began exploring their solo artistry, showcasing their individual colors:

  • Jennie – “SOLO” (2018): set the tone for fierce independence.
  • Rosé – “On the Ground” (2021): emotional pop-rock with personal lyrics about fame and self-worth.
  • Lisa – “LALISA” and “MONEY” (2021): broke YouTube and Spotify records, cementing her global star power.
  • Jisoo – “FLOWER” (2023): elegant and poetic, highlighting her vocals and visual artistry.

🌏 Born Pink Era (2022–2023)

  • Their second studio album, “BORN PINK”, was released in 2022 with hits:
  • It debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, making BLACKPINK the first female K-pop group to achieve this.
  • Their Born Pink World Tour became the highest-grossing concert tour by a female K-pop group in history — over $260 million earned.
  • They headlined Coachella 2023 — the first Asian act ever to do so.

🕊️ Recent Years (2024–2025)

  • In late 2023, all four members renewed their contracts with YG Entertainment for group activities but not for solos — meaning they can each pursue individual projects while continuing as BLACKPINK.
  • They launched their own solo management labels:
    • Jennie → ODDATELIER
    • Lisa → LLOUD
    • Jisoo → BLISSOO
    • Rosé → rumored to be under her own company (not yet named).
  • As of 2025, they are focusing on solo releases, acting, fashion, and preparing new group music projects.

👑 Legacy

  • BLACKPINK is often called “the biggest girl group in the world.”
  • They hold countless records:
    • Most-subscribed music act on YouTube (93M+).
    • First K-pop girl group to perform at Coachella.
    • First K-pop girl group to reach 2 billion YouTube views (DDU-DU DDU-DU).
    • Each member is a global ambassador for top brands (Chanel, Dior, Celine, Yves Saint Laurent).

They represent empowerment, global unity, and female strength, bringing K-pop to mainstream Western audiences like no group before them.

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