48 Fun Facts About Blackpink

Which K-pop label formed Blackpink?

YG Entertainment, the label behind Big Bang, debuted Blackpink in 2016 as its first new girl group in seven years, after training the members for up to six years.

Which two tracks made up Blackpink's debut single album, Square One?

Boombayah and Whistle, the two Square One tracks, took the top two spots on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart in their first week, with Whistle at number one.

On what date did Blackpink officially debut?

August 8, 2016 was the date of the Square One showcase and release; the label had first promised a new girl group for 2012, so fans waited more than four years.

What is the name of Blackpink's fandom?

Blink, a blend of 'black' and 'pink', was announced as the official fandom name in January 2017, five months after the group's debut.

Which of these was one of the other names YG considered before settling on Blackpink?

Baby Monster, Pink Punk and Magnum were all considered before Blackpink; the label later revived the idea as Babymonster, its 2023 girl group.

Which rapper features on the track Bet You Wanna?

Cardi B raps the guest verse on Bet You Wanna, a track on the group's first full-length Korean record, released in October 2020.

Which member was the first to be revealed to the public, on June 1, 2016?

She had already appeared in G-Dragon's 'That XX' video and on Lee Hi's 'Special'; the other three followed at weekly intervals.

Which member is from Thailand?

She was the only one of 4,000 applicants to pass YG's 2010 audition in Thailand and became the label's first foreign trainee.

Which member was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and raised in Australia?

She came first among 700 applicants at YG's 2012 audition in Australia; another member also lived in New Zealand as a child.

Which member is the eldest, born in January 1995?

The youngest was born in March 1997, only six weeks after the New Zealand-born member.

Which 2018 song was the first by a Korean girl group to enter the UK Singles Chart?

Ddu-Du Ddu-Du entered the UK Singles Chart at number 78 in June 2018, and its video became the first by a K-pop group to pass one billion YouTube views, in November 2019.

Which British singer released 'Kiss and Make Up' with Blackpink in 2018?

Dua Lipa added the track to the deluxe edition of her debut album; Kiss and Make Up reached number 36 in the UK, the first top-40 hit there by a Korean girl group.

Blackpink became the first female K-pop group to play which US festival in April 2019?

Coachella's 2019 edition put Blackpink on the Sahara stage as the first female K-pop group to play the festival; four years later they returned as headliners, the first Korean act to top the bill.

Which Lady Gaga album featured Blackpink on the track 'Sour Candy' in 2020?

It debuted at number 33 on the Hot 100 and number eight in Australia, then the highest for any Korean group.

Which 2020 single's video set a Guinness World Record for YouTube views in its first 24 hours?

How You Like That drew 86.3 million YouTube views in its first 24 hours on June 26, 2020, one of five Guinness records it set, and won Song of Summer at that year's MTV VMAs.

Which American singer joined Blackpink on 'Ice Cream' in August 2020?

Selena Gomez shares vocals on Ice Cream, released August 28, 2020, which reached number 13 on the Hot 100, then a record for a Korean female act.

What was the title of Blackpink's first Korean full-length record, released in October 2020?

The Album, released October 2, 2020, made them the first million-selling K-pop girl group and reached number two on both the Billboard 200 and the UK Albums Chart.

Blackpink's 2020 documentary Light Up the Sky premiered on which platform?

Netflix released Light Up the Sky on October 14, 2020; director Caroline Suh covered the four years since debut through trainee footage and interviews with the members.

What was the title of the March 2021 single album led by On the Ground?

R, released March 12, 2021, sold more than 440,000 copies in its first week, then a record for a Korean female soloist; On the Ground was its lead single.

Which fashion house made the group's Thai member its global ambassador in 2020?

Celine named the group's Thai member its global ambassador in September 2020; her three bandmates fronted Dior, Saint Laurent and a fourth Paris house that year.

In which 2021 JTBC drama did a member make her lead acting debut as Eun Yeong-ro?

Snowdrop, set in 1987 Seoul and co-starring Jung Hae-in, premiered on JTBC in December 2021 and gave the group's eldest member her first lead role.

Which 2022 pre-release single was the first song by a girl group to top the Billboard Global 200?

Pink Venom, released August 19, 2022 ahead of the second full-length, debuted at number one on the Billboard Global 200 and topped Australia's ARIA chart, a first for a Korean group.

Which Blackpink album was the first K-pop girl-group album to top both the US Billboard 200 and UK Albums Chart?

Born Pink, released September 16, 2022, debuted at number one on both the Billboard 200 and the UK Albums Chart, the first K-pop girl-group album to top either.

Which group's record did Blackpink's 2022-23 tour beat to become the highest-grossing girl-group tour ever?

Spice Girls' 2019 reunion tour had held the record; the 2022-23 tour grossed about $330 million from 1.8 million tickets and was also the highest-grossing tour by any act from Korea.

Blackpink became the first act from where to headline the California desert festival in 2023?

Asia had never supplied a headliner for the desert festival before April 2023; three months later the group also became the first Korean act to headline a major UK festival, at BST Hyde Park.

Which British honour did the four members receive in 2023 for their climate-change advocacy?

Honorary MBEs were presented by King Charles at Buckingham Palace in November 2023, during the Korean president's state visit, for their work as advocates for the COP26 summit in Glasgow.

Which magazine named Blackpink its 2022 Entertainer of the Year?

Time named the group its 2022 Entertainer of the Year that December, two years after the magazine gave the same title to BTS.

Blackpink was the first music act on YouTube to pass how many subscribers?

They are also the most-viewed band on the platform and the most-followed female group on Spotify.

Which April 2019 release was Blackpink's second Korean mini-album?

Kill This Love, released April 5, 2019, was the second Korean mini-album; its title track peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100, then a record for a K-pop girl group.

Which HBO series cast a member as the wellness mentor Mook in its Thailand-set third season?

The White Lotus cast the group's Thai member as Mook, a hotel wellness mentor, in its third season, shot in Thailand and broadcast from February 2025.

Which 2022 title track samples Paganini's La Campanella?

Shut Down, the title track of the September 2022 full-length, builds its hook on a sample of Paganini's La Campanella and reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Which luxury fashion house did Blackpink's main rapper represent as ambassador in 2023?

Chanel had made the group's main rapper a house ambassador in 2017 and its global ambassador by 2023; each of the four members fronted a different luxury house that year.

Which track is the title song of the group's first full-length record, released October 2, 2020?

Lovesick Girls was the title track of the October 2020 full-length; its video was re-edited after a nurses' union objected to a member's nurse-uniform scene.

Which battle-royale game hosted Blackpink's virtual in-game concert 'The Virtual' in July 2022?

PUBG Mobile staged The Virtual over two weekends in July 2022, debuting the track Ready for Love; the show won Best Metaverse Performance at that year's MTV VMAs.

Which 2025 single, first performed at Goyang Stadium, was Blackpink's third Global 200 number one?

Jump was premiered at the Goyang Stadium shows that opened the Deadline World Tour in July 2025, then released as a single and became the group's third Billboard Global 200 number one.

Which London venue did Blackpink become the first K-pop girl group to play during the Deadline World Tour?

Wembley Stadium hosted two Deadline World Tour shows in August 2025, the first by a K-pop girl group at the stadium; the group had headlined BST Hyde Park in 2023.

Which June 2018 release was Blackpink's first Korean mini-album?

Square Up, released June 15, 2018, was the first Korean mini-album; its lead single entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 55, the group's first appearance on that chart.

What was the title of the group's 2021 fifth-anniversary concert film?

Blackpink: The Movie opened in cinemas worldwide in August 2021 to mark five years since debut, mixing concert footage with member interviews.

Which older labelmate girl group did Blackpink say early on they wanted to emulate?

2NE1, the label's breakout girl group from 2009 to 2016, was the model the members cited in early interviews; Blackpink debuted in the same year 2NE1's disbandment was announced.

In which 2023 HBO series did a member act alongside Lily-Rose Depp?

The Idol, the HBO drama from Sam Levinson and The Weeknd, cast a member as the dancer Dyanne alongside Lily-Rose Depp in June 2023.

Which 2023 single was the lead track of the single album Me?

Flower, released March 31, 2023, completed the four members' solo debuts and reached number two on the Billboard Global 200.

Which record label handled Blackpink's representation outside Asia from 2018 until 2025?

The Interscope and Universal partnership took them into the US market just as 'Kiss and Make Up' charted.

Which MTV VMA did Blackpink win in 2023, a first for a girl group since TLC?

Group of the Year went to Blackpink at the 2023 VMAs, the first girl group to take MTV's group prize since TLC's Best Group Video win in 1999; they also won Best Choreography.

Which two tracks made up Blackpink's second single album, Square Two, in November 2016?

Playing with Fire and Stay were released on November 1, 2016, less than three months after the debut, and Playing with Fire topped Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart.

Where did Blackpink hold their July 2017 Japanese showcase, drawing over 14,000 fans?

Nippon Budokan hosted the Premium Debut Showcase on July 20, 2017; about 200,000 people applied for the 14,000 seats, and the self-titled Japanese EP followed in August.

The group's first reality show, released in 12 episodes in 2018, was titled what?

Blackpink House ran for 12 episodes from January 2018 on JTBC2 and V Live, following the four members through 100 days of vacation in a specially prepared dorm.

Which car maker sponsored Blackpink's In Your Area World Tour as title sponsor?

Kia was the title sponsor of the 2019 In Your Area World Tour, and the members served as the car maker's global ambassadors from that year.

Blackpink were the third girl group on the cover of Rolling Stone, in 2022, after which two?

Destiny's Child and the Spice Girls had been Rolling Stone's only girl-group cover stars, in 2001 and 1997, before Blackpink's June 2022 cover.