'10th Anniversary Controversy': Were the Individuals of BLACKPINK Greater Than the Group? [Yoon Sang-geun's Context]

*This content was translated by AI.

It is extremely disappointing. Their behavior even raises doubts as to whether they do not consider their 10th anniversary particularly important. Beyond fan perspectives, BLACKPINK's (Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, Lisa) recent timeline has left many puzzled in various ways.

BLACKPINK, whose debut was announced directly by YG Entertainment (hereinafter YG) CEO Yang Hyun-suk on August 8, 2018, was a group that finally emerged from the 'treasure chest' that YG had cherished and protected. As fully-fledged artists equipped with exceptional skills and unique visuals, they demonstrated an overwhelming presence in the competition among third-generation K-pop girl groups.

BLACKPINK already holds symbolic value not only for their musical achievements but also for the brilliant individual presence of each of the four members. They have achieved numerous worldwide records, ranked first overall in social media influence, set the most global chart records ever by a K-pop girl group, and all members were selected as ambassadors for global luxury brands. There is no shortage of reasons why BLACKPINK's 10th anniversary title must not be taken lightly.

However, despite the approaching anniversary, no special announcement was made, and suddenly only one event emerged amidst the silence. Typically, when preparing for a significant anniversary, teasing content is released at least a month in advance, and additional events tied to sponsorships are added to build momentum. Yet this time, there were virtually no such movements.

The upcoming 20th-anniversary event for BIGBANG serves as an appropriate comparison. However, ahead of BLACKPINK's 10th anniversary, not only was the release of a commemorative single not announced, but even any meaningful plan remained undisclosed. Consequently, controversy grew, and last-minute hurried efforts began to surface. Even worse, just two days before the event, only 40 Weverse membership members were invited. For a global artist who has toured the world with 1.8 million fans across 180 countries, this was an abysmal number of invitees for a 10th-anniversary celebration.

Did the members' thoughts differ from those of the fandom BLINK? Initially, rumors circulated that Lisa would not attend, but suddenly news broke of her joining, and eventually, the event proceeded as if it had been arranged without any prior notice.

The phrase "Only some members who are available due to schedules will attend" has sparked various interpretations. Considering the symbolic significance of BLACKPINK's 10th anniversary, a reasonable inference is that at least for someone, there was no intention to set aside other schedules and attend. It does not seem fair to blame only YG for insufficient event preparation; the members also bear some responsibility.

Furthermore, regarding the fan meeting held at the National Museum of Korea, complaints were filed requesting an investigation and special audit by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Office of Audit and Inspection concerning the approval of the event, facility usage, viewing restrictions, and homepage notice procedures. The complainant raised issues about whether the event was externally rented, if it was a joint event or cultural/propaganda project of the National Museum of Korea, and problems regarding facility usage approval, partial exhibition space viewing restrictions, changes to existing program schedules, and the homepage notice process.

In this situation, it is natural to draw connections between YG and BLACKPINK and some negative issues surrounding them. Although they say "BLACKPINK until death," could something have gone wrong during contract renewal negotiations with YG, ultimately leading to this mess? Could it be that each member had already prepared to stand on their own, only reluctantly joining hands with YG afterward while agreeing to continue group activities? Of course, the sincerity and true circumstances of the four members are known only to them.

Now, it seems difficult to simply portray the dramatically realized "complete 4-member lineup" as a purely beautiful story of goodwill. Even Jisoo's solo statement representing the team saying, "We apologize for making you feel sad," and the gesture of sending gratitude to fans with 6,900 won rice cakes, feel utterly insufficient to fully embody the meaning of 'BLACKPINK 10th Anniversary.'

What is even more worrying is that this controversy could set a negative precedent for other star idols approaching their 10th anniversaries in the future. Or rather, it may have already become one.

Is it truly right that the activities and interests of each of the four members are prioritized over 'Team BLACKPINK,' which was once universally recognized and loved? And I want to ask whether this choice is indeed greater than 'Team BLACKPINK.'

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.