The Blackpink Revolution, As Explained By 6 Superfans

By Emlyn Travis


To a casual New Yorker passing by the Ed Sullivan Theater on February 11, the crowd of people huddled across the street from the stage door of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was a not-so-subtle hint that someone popular was visiting the late-night talk show. However the celebrities creating such furor weren’t household names for most Residents of the
U.S. — At least not yet. It was Blackpink, Korean corporation YG Entertainment's latest girl sort who, that night, made their U.S. Television debut with their punchy single "DDU-DU DDU-DU."


To mention that Blackpink is popular is to put it lightly; the categorize have a massive, dedicated fanbase that has grown exponentially since their debut in 2016. On April 4, the group’s music video for their latest single “Kill This Love” became the most-watched music video in a 24 hour period in YouTube history, clocking in with 56.7 million views and seizing the title that was previously contained by Ariana Grande’s “Thank U Next.” Just three days later, the video smashed another record any time it became the fastest music video to hit 100 million views on the platform.


And that’s just one single; in a short quantity of time, Blackpink has made a name for themselves in the States as one of K-pop's brightest stars, and they’ve done it all without even releasing a full-length album. The group’s popularity stateside has been building since debut, nevertheless it reached a fever pitch in January if they were reported as segment of this year’s Coachella lineup. Because the initial female K-pop act to play the festival, Blackpink started to pique the interest of listeners both in and outdoors of the K-pop sphere, since and then the hysteria surrounding them has increased tenfold. Immediately after a short stint In the United States in February, the categorize was nominated for a Kids Choice Award, posed on the cover of Billboard Magazine, and reported and afterward sold-out their North American tour.


So what is it about Blackpink that's captivating males and ladies around the world? With only 14 tracks to their name, it’s obvious that fans (called "Blinks") are connecting with the sort on much more than just their title tracks. To discover what about Blackpink draws in possible fans, MTV News caught up with six Blinks to discuss what the categorize means to them.


Their Debut:


On August 8, 2016, Blackpink made their official debut with two title tracks — the fist-bumping, EDM-heavy "Boombayah" and sweet, hip hop-infused “Whistle.” Both songs shot straight to the best of the Korean music charts and caught a persons vision of global K-pop fans with their addictive choruses, charismatic rapping, and “girl crush” concepts. Put all with each other, it was a recipe for success and Blackpink became the fastest rookie K-pop girl categorize to secure their first win on weekly music program Inkigayo just 13 days right after debuting with "Whistle."


From left to right: Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa, and Rosé


"Blackpink breaking records and setting standards despite lack of promotions can only be explained by what differs them from other girl groups," says Ilke Esmeroğlu, 19, who became interested in Blackpink right after she saw their pre-debut teasers. "People are looking for something new, and Blackpink habitually keeps it fresh with the diversity of their music and concept."


The group’s "girl crush" concept seen in their music videos was another interesting aspect. Where other girl groups might opt for a beautiful concept for their first release, Blackpink projected what would later be defined as “pretty and savage” energy into the world as they spat fiery raps, did donuts in an empty parking lot, and daintily sat on the Earth like they owned it. That confidence and effortless fashion was well procured by fans, who speedily became obsessed with K-pop’s new girl gang.


"Before Blackpink, I wasn’t really into K-pop that much, nevertheless something about their music and concept was different from the other girl groups I’ve seen," says Alyanna Cabalbal, 18. “They showed a fiercer side to the regular bubblegum pop that most girl groups showed. Not that pretty concepts aren’t good, it’s just that Blackpink’s vibe just pulls you in."


“Even though they sing in a language I might not directly understand they are interesting enough to prepare one look past that. They're a refreshing talent,” adds Klaudia Stefańska, 18, who’s been in love with Blackpink since she heard their summer single, “As If It’s Your Last.” “Their image and why they carry themselves is what drew me in.”


Their Sound:


With new mini-album Kill This Love released nearly 10 months immediately after their last comeback (or, new release), Blackpink has solidified themselves as something separate from the regular K-pop paradigm that drives groups to push out releases every few months. Though the group’s sound typically stays inside of the realms of hip-hop, R&B, or EDM bangers (and some days a blend of the three all at once), Blackpink takes their time to release music that is wholly their own.


"Back then, and even right now I think, K-pop's defining characteristics are constantly its loud, psychedelic beats à la 2NE1’s 'I Am The ideal or Big Bang's wonderful Baby,' catchy bubblegum pop melodies like SNSD’s 'Gee,' Wonder Females 'Nobody,' and Twice's 'TT,' and explosive choreography like BTS and EXO — all very in your face," says Toni Kho, 24. For the last three years, Kho spent her weekends tirelessly translating Blackpink content from Korean into English to help further the group’s global popularity.


She continues: "K-pop isn't typically connected with groovy, suave, soulful beats. Although Jennie’s rap in 'Whistle,' and Blackpink’s rendition of ‘Sure Thing’ showed me that this was a soulful K-pop order, and I was just floored."


It’s also the stylistic elements that Blackpink’s members bring to the table that intrigue fans also. Each member has a unique vocal tone; Rosé is known for her raspy vocal quality, while Jennie bounces back and forth between rapping and singing. As a rapper, Lisa’s deep voice complements Jisoo’s sweet tone completely, especially on the group’s more bombastic tracks like visualize U Later."


"I loved ['Boombayah']. I also loved the diversity of the song. With Blackpink, it’s habitually like five genres in one song, nevertheless it’s not messy," answers Esmeroğlu. “The members each have very individual, distinctive voices and styles that don’t sound weird once you combine them all. It’s harmonious in a way I can’t explain.”


The Members:


Aside from their music, Blackpink’s biggest charm and incentive to stan is the personalities of its members. Jennie, Rosé, Lisa, and Jisoo have appeared on numerous Korean variety programs, including their own reality show Blackpink House, and hold frequent livestreams on V Live and their personalized Instagrams. By sharing their world and connecting with fans online, the members have become an enormous source of inspiration for Blinks.


For some, Blackpink have inspired them to be courageous. "I relate most to Rosé and Lisa, since I also left house to study and work. I find their courage and perseverance in pursuing their dreams in the face of hardships and loneliness very admirable and inspiring,” says Kho. "Last, apparently [Jennie’s] mom wanted her to be a lawyer at first, yet she instructed her mom that she wanted to pursue her dreams to be a singer. That is courage that I don’t think I have, and courage that I would like to have any time facing uncertainty in the future."


For others, the members’ lifestyles and activities have inspired them to create a change in their own lives. "Lisa does kickboxing which inspired me to become a member of classes, and I love the activity right now Sova Adams, 21, reveals. Rosé has also become her fashion inspiration, because she has a similar body type and can influence outfits for Adams to rock next.


the largest reason fans connect with Blackpink is because of their authenticity; their candidness about everyday life makes them feel more like longtime companions than untouchable pop stars.


"A lot of the people in this fandom can relate to these women because of their backgrounds and the sort of personalities they have," says Jawwad Kiani, 24, who was planned Blackpink’s pre-debut dance practice videos on YouTube and has been a fan ever since. "For instance, Rosé is super talented and has leadership qualities. She is super shy, yet as soon as she’s needed she steps up and delivers. Jisoo is like a big sister each person wants who takes care of her loved ones more than anything. Jennie is the girl every girl wants to be like in Korea and Lisa, she’s the 'it' girl, and thus several people relate to her story of leaving residence and family member to follow [her] dreams."


Inclusivity: 


With members raised in New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, and Korea respectively, Blackpink is the definition of a multicultural girl order. Three of its members — Jennie, Lisa, and Rosé — speak English language fluently, which has helped fans who would normally have to deal with a language barrier feel closer to the categorize than they would with other K-pop acts.


"Being able to understand and communicate correctly with your celebrities plays a major role, also, because all of those can pretty much understand English. Three of those can communicate, also, so it makes it easier to understand and create a connection with them," adds Kiani. “For instance, I’ve seen every video there really is of Blackpink and most of it is in Korean with hardly any translation, however as the ladies speak English [to each other] I was able to grasp as to what was happening in videos."


Blackpink use English language not only to chat with their foreign fans, yet also to introduce them to bits of Korean culture, also. "At the same time, [Blackpink are] very respectful and aware all of the different cultures straddle, and so they encourage fans to understand the salient contradictions between each culture," adds Kho. "For example, while in one holiday in Korea they took the time to explain in English what the holiday was about especially for just a short while."


That level of inclusivity stretches into their concerts too; the categorize have shown their support for their LGBTQ+ fanbase by holding rainbow flags whilst on tour in the Philippines. Aside from openly gay idol Holland, K-pop and LGBTQ+ representation aren’t exactly synonymous (same-sex marriage is now prohibited in South Korea), so these small moments make fans feel accepted, overjoyed, and loved.


"Their music is based around female representation and confidence boost, women wanna have some fun,' you know, and there’s a certain stereotype around female singers that are impactful in the pop culture be referred to as 'gay icons.' I am bisexual myself and I think their feminine and sassy energy draws us in,” says Esmeroğlu. "They also contained up the pride flag in one of their concerts which made me so delighted. We certainly love calling them feminist queens!"


What Does "Blackpink" Mean to You?


When Blackpink debuted, YG Entertainment explained their name came from the idea of contradicting the perception that the color pink represented "prettiness." Thus, Blackpink became the categorize that defined itself on the principle that prettiness wasn’t everything, however hard work, talent, and perseverance was. Because the group's popularity keeps it up and grows continuously, what it means to be Blackpink has evolved as fans attach their own personalized perception of what the sort means to them to it.


"To me, they mean the whole world. These ladies have helped me through a lot, I’ve spent numerous of hours keeping up with everything that’s been going on with them. I don’t only love them as artists however as people also. I feel like I know them on a personalized level even if we actually haven’t spoke face to face you know?” Says Cabalbal. "Their presence and their pretty little gestures of going on V Live just converse with Blinks. It’s those actions that make me feel that I’m a segment of something and feel much less alone."


"Although they're around my age, they're all still older than me and that permits me to look up to them as role models. Blackpink are a crowd of interesting, talented women with good music, who promote individualism," says Adams. "They're all very different from each other and have different [strength and weaknesses], and I think that demonstrates fans that it's OK to be different because you could still be successful."


"For me, they feel like someone I can trust," says Kho. "If you strip away the fact that they’re famed artists and watch their videos and follow their posts, especially Rosé’s, they feel like real 20 to 23-year-old women who love Disney, cry over Korean dramas, love shopping and consuming food good food, like sleeping in, lazing around and playing games, and who go crazy over pretty and fluffy things like their pets."


As what means be Blackpink keeps it up and continues to change, one thing does not: the level of love and dedication that Blinks have for Blackpink. It’s flawlessly summarized by Kiani: "I want nothing however the ideal for all of those, and I plan continue to aid them through thick and thin. They deserve all of the happiness and successfulness in this world."