Why BLACKPINK fans feel disappointed ahead of group's 10th anniversary

BLACKPINK approaches its 10th anniversary this Saturday. But with the major milestone less than three days away, the mood within the global K-pop group’s fandom is tinged with disappointment, if not outright frustration, over an apparent lack of projects and appearances featuring all four members together.

The group debuted with the album “Square One,” which featured “Whistle” and “Boombayah,” and went on to take the global music scene by storm with hits such as “Playing with Fire,” “How You Like That,” “Pink Venom,” “Shut Down” and “Jump.”

From 2023 onwards, however, its members took a "together but separate" direction by signing an exclusive contract with YG Entertainment only for the group projects and activities. Each member pursued solo careers with their respective agencies and found success, placing their solo albums on the Billboard charts and performing at recognized music festivals.

As the group is set to mark its 10th year, some fans have begun expressing disappointment that even this landmark anniversary may pass without the four members celebrating together and with little activity from the group as a whole. So far, only one celebratory project has been announced for the anniversary.

Apart from world tours and concerts, the group has largely been absent from full-group activities, such as fan meetings and appearances on televised music programs, even following the release of the EP “Deadline” this February. Fans have been largely supportive, acknowledging the difficulty of coordinating the busy members’ schedules. But there had been anticipation — and an expectation — that the 10th anniversary would be different.

As of Thursday, the only anniversary-related content announced was commemorative merchandise created in collaboration with the National Museum of Korea. Fans are calling for an offline gathering or another special event that would allow them to celebrate with the members, arguing that the group’s symbolic milestone deserves more.

The contrast is pronounced when compared with other K-pop groups that celebrated a decade together by releasing anniversary albums and engaging with longtime fans. Red Velvet, for instance, released the mini album “Cosmic” to celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2024. TWICE released a special album and hosted a fan meeting. This year, I.O.I, which also marked its 10th anniversary, released a new song titled “Suddenly” and held a concert.

BLACKPINK fans have been hoping for something similar. With just two days left until the anniversary, they are still hoping for a livestream featuring the members together. But much to their disappointment, as of now, it remains unclear whether all four members will even be in Korea that day.

This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.