Are Blackpink disbanding? Will the world’s biggest K-pop girl group succumb to the 7-year curse and go their separate ways?

Blackpink, the biggest K-pop girl group, have come to the end of their seven-year contract with their label, a time when many bands split up
Rumours have been circulating of Rosé renewing her contract, and Jisoo, Jennie and Lisa joining new companies, but nothing has been confirmed

K-pop, Mandopop and other Asian pop

Kwak Yeon-soo

Published: 4:15pm, 26 Sep 2023

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Will K-pop sensation Blackpink go their separate ways or continue their musical journey together? Rumours of the girl group splitting have been circulating for months now, but members have yet to comment. Fans are demanding confirmation from the band.

On Monday, Korean media outlet News 1 reported that Jisoo and Jennie would launch their own entertainment companies to manage their solo activities while continuing activities as a group managed by YG Entertainment. However, YG quickly denied the report.

“Nothing has been decided on Blackpink’s contract renewal and future activities. We are in discussion with the members,” the agency said.

Earlier this month, Korean media outlet The Daily Sports Seoul reported that only Rosé has renewed her contract with YG, while Jisoo, Jennie and Lisa would likely join new agencies without extending their contracts with YG. It additionally reported that the members were discussing whether they would be able to perform as a group six months a year, even after leaving YG.

Rosé from Blackpink is rumoured to have renewed her contract with YG Entertainment. Photo: Imazins via Getty Images

Having debuted in August 2016 with single album Square One, the quartet’s seven-year contract with YG ended in August this year. The group recently wrapped up their “Born Pink” tour – the largest world tour for a K-pop girl group, which attracted 1.8 million concertgoers worldwide – in Seoul on September 17.

Blackpink are considered the world’s biggest K-pop girl group. They topped the US Billboard 200 album chart in 2022, a first for a Korean girl group, with Born Pink, and they are the most-followed musical act on YouTube, with more than 90 million subscribers. As a global pop culture phenomenon, they played a crucial role in cementing YG’s status as a K-pop giant.

Renewing contracts with successful K-pop idols can be tricky, as they often demand more money and receive better offers from other labels.

All eyes are on Blackpink to see whether they can be one of the rare girl groups to defy the “seven-year curse” – where groups often disband after seven years, the longest possible single contract period between members of a group and an agency, as stipulated by the Korea Fair Trade Commission.

K-pop girl groups 2NE1, 4Minute, Miss A and Sistar all disbanded after seven years together. It was also in the seventh year that Jessica left Girls’ Generation and Sunye and Sohee left Wonder Girls.

South Korean girl group Momoland disbanded after seven years together. Photo: AFP

This year, several girl groups faced the end of their contract and subsequent disbandment. Momoland disbanded, while WJSN transitioned into an eight-member group without Luda and Dawon.

“It’s challenging for a high-profile K-pop group to stand the test of time, especially when each member has high brand value,” music critic Jung Min-jae told The Korea Times.

Meanwhile, BTS recently announced that all seven members – RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook – renewed their contracts with their agency BigHit Music. The renewal will allow the label to support BTS’ activities after its members complete their compulsory military service in 2025.

It is the second time the group has extended its contract with the company, the first being in 2018.

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